L'NIN'ERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT    LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Inst,  of  Public  Admir: 


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in  2008  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/digestofnewyorksOObure 


A   DIGEST 

OF  THE 

NEW   YORK    SCHOOL 
INQUIRY 


Submitted    to  the 

New  York   Board   of   Education 

July  17,  1913,  by  the 

BUREAU   OF  MUNICIPAL   RESEARCH 

261  Broadway,  New  York  City 

Price   25   Cents 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

2  Twentj'  Rediscoveries  for  New  York's  Public  Schools 3 

3  Purpose  of  the  New  York  School  Inquiry _ 4 

4  Report  Titles  and  Investigators'  Names „ —  5 

5  What  the  Inquiry  Cost ^ — 6 

6  Introduction  and  Conclusions  by  Director  Hanus 7 

7  What  the  School  Inquiry  Praised „ 8 

8  Conditions  Said  to  Need  Correction.. 13 

Armstrong  43 

Averill _ 18 

Bachraan „..„ 24 

Ballou  35 

Burks 30 

Courtis 33 

Davis „ - 38 

Elliott.  - 13 

Goddard „.32 

McMurry...  19 

Schneider  41 

Thompson  *;t.....„. 40 

Winslow-Baskervill  45 

9  Recommendations  .  46 

Clearly  Requirin-  A(iuuii)ii;ii  .\iuney 46 

Intended  to  Save  Mo"C3' 49 

Per  se,  Neither  Adding  nor  Saving  Money 50 

Requiring  lyegislation  .  60 

10  Further  Investigations  Said  to  be  Necessary 61 

11  Subjects  Not  Covered  by  the  School  Inquiry 63 

12  How  the  Inquiry  Was  Started 64 

13  How  the  Inquirj'  Was  Receiveii  65 

14  Only  Published  I^eply  by  Insiders  to  Outsiders 68 


FOREWORD 

The  New  York  school  inquiry  has  come  and  gone.  But 
inquiring-  into  New  York's  school  facts  has  just  begun.  While 
the  school  inquiry  antedated  the  reorganization  of  the  board 
of  education  itself  and  the  resulting  change  of  attitude  toward 
teacher  and  public,  it  would  be  unfair  to  school  commissioners 
who  brought  about  this  change  of  attitude  to  deny  them  large 
credit  for  independent  and  vigorous  action  in  heading  our 
schools  "back  to  the  child." 

We  therefore  give  joint  credit  to  the  school  board  itself 
and  to  the  school  inquiry  for  the  Twenty  Rediscoveries  here 
noted,  which  characterize  the  new  outlook  with  which  New 
York  City  begins  its  school  year  1913-1914. 

Whatever  errors  in  the  school  inquiry  reports  may  later 
be  shown  by  committees  of  New  York's  board  of  education, 
supervisors  and  teachers,  or  by  students  of  education,  the 
findings  themselves  will  be  helpful  for  years  to  come.  Be- 
cause the  reports  will  not  otherwise  be  generally  available 
in  condensed  form  we  have,  from  a  special  fund  provided  by 
Mrs.  E.  H,  Harriman,  prepared  this  brief  digest,  after  sub- 
mitting to  each  investigator  our  proposed  digest  of  his  ma- 
terial, for  correction  if  needed.  We  hope  it  will  be  found  use- 
ful not  only  by  school  officers  in  New  York  and  elsewhere, 
but  by  citizens  wishing  to  help  schools  via  first  knowing  about 
school  needs  and  school  work. 

BUREAU  OF  MUNICIPAL  RESEARCH 


TRUSTEES  DIRECTORS 

R.  FULTON  CUTTING  WILLIAM  H.  ALLEN 

FRANK  L.  POLK  HENRY  BRUERE 

JOSEPH  W.  HARRIMAN  FREDERICK  A.  CLEVELAND 

GEORGE  B.   HOPKINS 

BRADLEY  M-\RTIN,  JR. 

VICTOR   MORAWETZ 

JOHN  B.  PINE 

EDWIN   R.   A.   SELIGMAN 

ALBERT   SHAW 

FRANK  TUCKER 


NOTE 

Messrs.  Bachman,  Burks,  Goddard,  Armstrong,  McMurry, 
Schneider  and  Davis  wrote  their  approval  of  the  digests  of 
their  reports  with  some  suggested  corrections  which  are  here 
embodied 

On  September  26,  after  prolonged  absence  from  the  university, 
Mr.  Elliott  telegraphed: 

Physically  impossible  on  account  extraordinary  pressure 
university  work  for  me  to  devote  time  and  detailed  attention 
requisite  for  your  digest  until  after  Oct.  10.  Regret  this 
unfortunate  emergency 

Mr.  Ballou  wrote: 

I  hereby  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  August 
24,  1913,  addressed  to  me  in  Cincinnati,  and  containing  your 
memoranda  on  my  Report  to  the  Committee  on  School 
Inquiry.  Inasmuch  as  I  have  already  devoted  much  more 
time  to  the  New  York  Inquiry  than  I  had  expected  to  give 
it,  I  do  not  feel  that  I  should  give  it  further  attention.  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  I  cannot  examine  carefully  your  mem- 
oranda, I  do  not  wish  to  be  considered  as  in  any  way  re- 
sponsible for  W'hat  you  may  or  may  not  say  about  my 
report 

Several  days  after  Mr.  Courtis  had  written  his  thanks  for  "the 
chance  to  see  in  advance  the  Bureau's  digest  of  my  report," 
he  wTote: 

After  thinking  the  matter  over,  I  have  decided  that  in 
view  of  the  peculiar  conditions  attending  the  Inquiry,  and 
the  fact  that  so  far  only  an  "Interim"  report  has  been  pub- 
lished, I  am  not  at  liberty  to  cooperate  in  the  preparation 
of  your  digest,  as  you  suggest  in  your  letter  of  the  26th. 
I  am,  therefore,  returning  tlie  same  without  comments 

Similarly,  a  few  days  after  Mr.  Thompson  had  signified  his 
intention  of  going  over  the  digest  on  his  return  from  his 
vacation  and  had  recorded  his  appreciation  of  "your  cour- 
tesy in  allowing  me  to  see  in  advance  what  you  propose 
to  publish  concerning  my  report,"  he  wrote: 

I  find  that  Professor  Hanus  has  made  a  digest  of  the  New 
York  Report  which  he  considers  comprehensive  and  ade- 
quate. I  do  not  find  that  Professor  Hanus  or  his  other 
associates  intend  to  assist  in  any  independent  digest  such 
as  the  one  you  propose.  I,  therefore,  respectfully  decline 
to  make  any  comment  upon  your  digest  of  my  report 

The  complete  illustrated  report  of  the  board  of  estimate  on 
both  educational  and  business  aspects  of  the  school  inquiry 
will  be  published  in  three  volumes,  1500  pages  (a  limited 
number  only)  by  the  Committee  on  School  Inquiry,  51 
Chambers  Street,  New  York  City 


TWENTY  REDISCOVERIES  FOR  NEW  YORK'S  PUB- 
LIC SCHOOLS  BY  THE  SCHOOL  INQUIRY 
AND  THE  SCHOOL  BOARD 

1 — That  children  cannot  be  schooled  if  they  do  not  come  to  school 

2 — That  the  purpose  of  attendance  officers  is  to  keep  children  attend- 
ing school 

3 — That  children  of  sound  mind  should  not  be  called  feeble-minded 
or  put  among  the  feeble-minded  and  that  defectives  should  be 
segregated  and  taught  according  to  their  incapacity 

4 — That  children  of  different  aptitudes  and  different  nationalities 
should  be  taught  different  subjects  in  different  ways 

5 — That  the  transition  should  be  more  natural  from  kindergarten  to 
grades,  and  from  elementary  to  high  school 

6 — That  boys  and  girls  should  continue  to  learn  after  beginning  to 
earn 

7 — That  preparation  for  commerce  and  trades  should  be  more  prac- 
tical and  more  general 

8 — That  when  children  are  taught  the  three  Rs  they  must  be  taught 
to  use  the  three  Rs  with  automatic  correctness 

9 — That  buildings  should  be  placed  where  children  live,  not  near 
other  schools  where  overcrowding  is 

10 — That  school  buildings  should  be  fireproof  and  sanitary,  and 
class  room  air  clean,  always  moving  and  not  over-heated 

11 — That  coal  should  be  bought  for  its  heat,  not  for  its  weight,  and 
buildings,  equipment  and  supplies  handled  efficiently 

12 — That  teachers  should  be  helped  not  policed  by  their  supervisors 

13 — That  teachers  who  out-number  supervisors  thirty  to  one  should 
"become  regular  purveyors  of  good  to  the  entire  school  sys- 
tem," as   President  Churchill  has  urged 

14— That  $3,500  and  $10,000  supervisors  should  give  their  time  to 
supervision  that  helps  children,  instead  of  to  clerical  work 

15 — That  school  records  should  be  live  "purveyors  of  truth"  and  not 
dead,  misleading,  harassing  statistics 

16 — That  the  public  should  be  given  budget  estimates  based  on  facts 
not  on   guesses  or  unsupportable  premises 

17 — That  school  commissioners  should  give  time  to  big  problems — 
testing  their  experts'  efficiency  and  discovering  children's  needs 
— not  to  petty  details 

18 — That  the  board  of  estimate  can  help  school  work  by  asking- 
questions  in  the  interest  of  taxpayers 

19 — That  the  public  should  be  given  school  news  in  small  doses  of 
facts  it  can  understand 

20 — That  defending  is  worse  than  making — and  infinitely  worse  than 
correcting — mistakes 


PURPOSE  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  SCHOOL  INQUIRY 

Resolution  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  Introduced 
by  William  A.  Prendergast,  Comptroller,  October  26,  1910 

Whereas,  the  budget  of  the  department  of  education  represents  ap- 
proximately one-third  of  the  total  appropriations  of  the  city  of 
New  York  for  current  administration  purposes,  and 

Whereas,  the  appropriation  recommended  by  the  Budget  Committee 
of  the  board  of  estimate  and  apportionment  for  the  year  1910  for 
the  purposes  of  the  department  of  education  represents  an  allow- 
ance of  $1,000,000  in  excess  of  the  product  of  the  three  mill  tax 
appropriation  required  by  law,  and 

Whereas,  in  formulating  the  allowance  for  the  purpose  of  the  depart- 
ment of  education  this  board  has  been  unable  to  secure  sufficient 
and  satisfactory  information  in  explanation  of  requests  for  appro- 
priations made  by  such  department  to  enable  it  to  reach  proper 
conclusions  with  respect  to  the  necessity  and  propriety  of  such 
requests,  and 

Whereas,  it  is  the  sense  of  this  board  that  efficient  and  progressive 
administration  of  the  schools  of  the  city  of  New  York  is  indis- 
pensable to  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  city,  and  that  generous 
appropriations  for  the  purposes  of  the  department  of  education  are 
desirable  in  so  far  as  assurance  and  evidence  can  be  given  that 
such  appropriations  will  be  expended  for  purposes  and  in  a  manner 
to  promote  the  efficiency  and  welfare  of  the  schools,  and  to  increase 
the  value  and  effectiveness  of  the  instruction  given  therein,  and 

Whereas,  the  growth  and  development  of  educational  activities  and 
improvement  in  educational  methods  annually  presents  to  this 
board,  in  connection  with  ihe  preparation  of  the  tax  and  the  cor- 
porate stock  budgets,  many  questions  bearing  upon  the  efficacy  of 
educational  policies  and  methods  now  pursued,  and  upon  the  effi- 
ciency and  economy  of  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
department  of  education. 

Be  it  resolved,  that  the  chairman  of  this  board  appoint  a  committee 
of  three  of  its  members  to  conduct  an  inquiry  into  the  organization, 
equipment  and  methods,  both  financial  and  educational,  of  the  de- 
partment of  education,  including  such  plans  and  proposals  as  may 
have  been  formulated  or  may  be  under  consideration  by  the  board 
of  education  for  extending  and  developing  its  educational  activities, 
and  that  for  this  purpose  the  committee  be  authorized  to  associate 
with  it  such  experts  within  and  without  the  government  of  the  city 
of  New  York  as  may  assist  it  in  the  conduct  of  this  inquiry  and  in 
the  formulation  of  recommendations  to  this  board,  and  that  it  be 
further  authorized  to  employ  such  assistants  as  it  may  find  neces- 
sary for  the  purposes  of  this  inquiry,  and 

Be  it  further  resolved,  that  for  the  purposes  hereinal)ove  mentioned, 
the  board  do  include  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  in  the  budget  for 
the  year  1911 


REPORT  TITLES  AND  INVESTIGATORS'  NAMES 

General 

Conclusions  of  report  as  a  whole,  Paul  H.  Hanus,  head  of  the 

department  of  education,  Harvard  University- 
General  supervision  and  board  of  examiners,  Edward  C.  Elliott, 
director  of  the  school  of  education,  University  of  Wisconsin 
Handling-  and  nature  of  correspondence  by  city  and  associate 
superintendents,  W.  A.  Averill,  New  York  Bureau  of  Muni- 
cipal Research 
Organization  and  methods  of  the  board  of  education,  Frank 
J.  Goodnow  and  Frederick  C.  Howe;  385  pages  for  findings, 
42  recommendations  and  supporting  data;  Economic  util- 
ization of  the  public  school  plant  for  recreational  and  edu- 
cational purposes,  Frederick  C.  Howe;  50  pages;  reports 
to  be  published  in  sections  in  October,  not  yet  released, 
Sept.  15,  1913;  detailed  analysis  of  conditions  peculiar  to 
New  York,  while  extremely  significant,  are  not  of  as  gen- 
eral application  as  are  available  reports  here  digested 

Note:  E.  C.  Moore,  professor  of  education,  Yale  University, 
was  engaj?ed  and  paid  for  a  report  on  this  subject  which  was 
rejected   "for  want  of  supporting  facts" 

Elementary  Schools 

Quality  of  classroom  instruction;  course  of  study;  and  super- 
vision by  principals,  Frank  M.  McMurry,  professor  of  ele- 
mentary education,  Teachers'  College,  Columbia  University 

Promotion,  non-promotion  and  part  time ;  overage  and  method 
of  determining  overage;  interm^ediate  schools;  estimating 
teachers  needed,  Frank  P.  Bachman,  associate  superinten- 
dent of  schools,  Cleveland 

Arithmetic  tests,  S.  A.  Courtis,  head  of  department  of  science 
and  mathematics.  Home  and  Day  School,  Detroit 

Compulsory  attendance  service,  Jesse  D.  Burks,  director, 
Bureau  of  Municipal  Research,  Philadelphia 

Ungraded  classes,  H.  H.  Goddard,  New  Jersey  Training 
School  for  Feeble  Minded  Children,  Vineland 

High  Schools 

Problems  in  organization  and  administration,  Frank  W.  Ballou, 
assistant  professor  of  education.  University  of  Cincinnati 

Course  of  study,  Calvin  O.  Davis,  assistant  professor  of  edu- 
cation. University  of  Michigan 

Commercial  education,  Frank  V.  Thompson,  associate  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  Boston 

Vocational  (industrial)  schools,  Herman  Schneider,  dean  of 
the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Cincinnati 

Buildings 
Conditions  and  efficiency;  delay  in  construction,  Charles  G. 

Armstrong,  consulting  engineer,  New  York  City 
Atmospheric  conditions  in   schools,  Charles  Baskerville  and 

C.  E.  A.  Winslow  of  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York 


WHAT    THE    INQUIRY    COST 

Total,  business  and  educational  branches,  exclusive 

of  cost  of  printing  final  report $95,067.00 

Salaries  Per  Day 

Armstrong    $25.00 

Averill  (loaned  bv  B.  M.  R.) 

Bachman  .' 18.40 

Ballon 15.00 

Burks 15.00 

Davis   15.00 

Courtis   (expenses  only) 

Elliott  (and  expenses) 16.50 

Goddard 16.50 

Goodnow 25.00 

Hanus    30.00 

Howe  25.00 

McMurrv 27.50 

Moore  . .' 20.00 

Schneider 30.00 

Scudder per  hour  5.00 

Stuart 15.00 

Thompson    16.50 

West 30.00 

Business    and    administrative    branch — March    30. 
1911— Mav  30.  1913 

Salaries $37,438.13 

Personal  expenses 195.75 

Apparatus,  office  and  other  expenses 2,046.43 


Total $39,608.31 

Educational  branch— (1)  July  1,  1911— Feb.  1,  1913, 
under  direction  of  Prof.  Hanus 

Salaries    $40,879.78 

Personal  expenses 1.190.40 

Office  and  other  expenses 6,507.88 


Total    (not   including  printing,   proofread- 
ing, author's  corrections  $2,200) $48,578.06 

(2)  July  1,  1912— May  30,  1913,  supplementary 

investigation 

Salaries    $4,684.80 

Personal  expenses   96.65 

Office  and  other  expenses 2,099.19 


Total $6,880.63 

Number  of  days  work  on  educational  aspects  was  4,118  days; 
on  business  and  administrative  branches  was  2,448  days 

6 


INTRODUCTION     AND     CONCLUSIONS     OF     THE 
"REPORT    AS    A    WHOLE" 

Written,  December,  1912  by  Prof.  Hanus  without  "oppor- 
tunity for  thoroughgoing  conferences"  with  associates ;  59 
pages 

Summarizes  statistics  of  school  plant,  teaching  force  and  en- 
rollment for  the  year  ending  July  31,  1911 

Describes  principles  on  which  plan  for  inquiry  adopted  on 
July  10,  1912,  was  based 

Explains  why  defects  rather  than  merits  are  reported:  "The 
purpose  of  the  inquiry  was  constructive  throughout.  We 
have  not  failed  to  appreciate  the  merits  of  the  school  sys- 
tem and  they  are  many,  but  since  our  chief  purpose  was 
constructive  criticism,  we  have  devoted  ourselves  more  par- 
ticularly to  such  defects  as  we  have  been  able  to  point  out, 
and  to  suggestions  and  recommendations  for  removing  or 
minimizing  them" 

"The  method  of  the  inquiry  has  been  statistical,  inspec- 
torial (personal  inspection  by  members  of  the  stafif),  com- 
parative (comparisons  of  New  York  City's  schools  and 
school  system  with  those  of  other  cities),  and  experimental 
so  far  as  reliable  experimental  or  scientific  methods  are 
available  in  education  and  could  be  employed;  and  we  have 
made  much  use  of  conferences  with  officials  and  members 
of  the  teaching  and  supervisory  stafif" 

Formulates  (1)  "aims  and  principles  underlying  the  contempo- 
rary provision  for  and  tendencies  in  American  education"; 
and  (2)  a  system  of  schools  as  a  "standard  of  educational 
opportunity"  for  New  York  City 

Enumerates  18  chief  defects  as  conclusions  of  the  report  as  a 
whole 

Notes  that  work  on  the  budget  for  1912  (1)  "lay  wholly  out- 
side our  own  plan,  (2)  consumed  more  than  two  months  of 
time,  (3)  because  of  our  limited  stafif  and  the  great  mass  of 
data  required,  but  not  available,  ought  never  to  have  been 
undertaken  and  was  necessarily  unsatisfactory  to  us;  and 
(4)  will  not  be  further  considered  in  this  account  of  our 
work" 

Summarizes  findings,  conclusions  and  recommendations  of 
each  specialist 


WHAT  THE  SCHOOL  INQUIRY  PRAISED 

As  to  City  Superintendent 

He  hns  acliieved  distinguished  success  in  protecting-  the 
scliool  system  and  the  teaching  staff  from  the  selfish  in- 
fluences that  are  always  found  in  the  public  service  of  a 
great  city — and  this  is  conspicuous  service  .  .  .  No 
other  educational  leader  of  this  generation  has  had  a  task 
of  such  magnitude  and  complexity.  It  is  very  improb- 
able that  any  other  man  could  have  succeeded  as  he  has 
in  unifying  the  school  system  and  harmonizing  the  edu- 
cational forces  of  the  city  .  .  .  He  has  tnade  the  New 
VLirk  public  school  system  one  of  nation  wide  significance 
(Elliott) 

He  was  justified  in  1911  in  his  endeavor  to  increase  the  rate 
of  promotion  (Bachman) 

As  to  Board  of  Examiners  (Elliott) 

It  has  proved  to  be  a  most  effective  instrumentality  for  the 
accomplishment  of  the  principal  ends  for  which  it  was 
created;  that  is,  to  place  the  appointment  of  teachers  upon 
a  merit  basis,  and  thereby  isolate  the  schools  from  the 
self  interest  of  individuals,  classes  and  parties 

Any  agency  that  has  protected  the  teaching  force  as  has 
the  board  of  examiners  from  the  influence  of  forces  and 
motives  wholly  imrelated  to  efficiency  is  entitled  to  com- 
mendation 

Refused  4,400  licenses  in  ISni 

Has  exercised  its  functions  in  a  singularly  effective  and 
progressive  manner 

Including  the  city  superintendent  in  the  board  is  to  be  com- 
mended 

Its  handling  of  41,000  candidates  during  three  years  has 
required  a  degree  of  skill,  ingenuity  and  foresight  not  re- 
quired of  any  other  controlling  body  in  the  school  system 

Questions  used  in  recent  examinations  are  fair  tests  of  pro- 
fessional preparation 

Oral  examination  system  has  been  made  an  important  and 
valuable  factor  in  the  selection  of  candidates  for  eligible 
lists 

As  to  Elementary  Principals 

Number  provided  is  entirely  adequate  for  effective  super- 
vision (Elliott) 

There  arc  principals  here  and  there  who  have  admirable 
plans  for  teachers'  meetings  (McMurry) 

The  salary  schedules  are  such  as  to  attract  from  other  cities 
men  and  women  of  competence  to  supervise  schools  (El- 
liott) 


Praise — Continued  9 

As  to  Special  Branches 

Number  of  directors  and  assistant  directors  (except  in  the 
kindergarten)  is  sufficient  to  meet  the  demand  for  effec- 
tive direction  and  supervision  (Elliott) 

As  to  Classroom  Instruction 

Teachers  as  a  rule  are  conscientious  and  energetic  (Mc- 
Murry) 

As  to  Kindergarten  (McMurry) 

Instruction  meets  test  of  the  four  inquiry  standards  in  a 
satisfactory  manner 

Curriculum  is  in  substantial  harmony  with  the  inquiry 
standards ;  does  not  limit  teachers'  freedom ;  unusual  in- 
terest displayed  in  individual  child;  subject  matter  abun- 
dantly fav^ors  exercise  of  initiative  and  expression  of  indi- 
viduality;  provision  for  motivation  and  for  consideration 
of  relative  values  for  children 

As  to  Reading  and  Literature 

Selection  of  subject  matter  is  good  as  far  as  it  goes  and 
many  of  the  suggestions  on  method  are  valuable;  breadth 
in  provision  for  subordination  of  form  to  thought ;  excel- 
lent suggestions  favoring  oral  reading  by  teachers  (Mc- 
Murry) 

As  to  Grammar  and  Composition 

Emphasis  on  much  oral  composition  and  on  organization  of 
ideas  is  worthy  of  commendation  (McMurry) 

As  to  Spelling 

Reasonable  in  amount;  content  and  suggested  method  free 
from  excessive  formality  ;  attention  to  organization  shown  : 
desirable  distinction  between  "teaching"  words  and  test- 
ing ability  to  spell  them  (McMurry) 

As  to  Shop  Work,  Drawing,  Cooking 

Technical  sequence  is  well  developed ;  cooking  is  concerned 
with  more  intimate  relationship  of  home-making  (Mc- 
Murry) 

As  to  Nature  Study 

Many  teachers  providing  materials  and  conducting  credit- 
able lessons  deserve  the  highest  commendation  (Mc- 
Murry) 

As  to  Non-promotion  and  Overage 

Lower  rate  for  overage  pupils  proves  wisdom  of  special  "E" 
classes  (Bachman) 

Low  rate  for  pupils  unable  to  use  English  language  demon- 
strates wisdom  of  special  "C"  classes  (Bachman) 


10  Pr.\ise — Continued 

As  to  Basing  Estimate  of  Teachers  Needed  upon  Register 
Present  policy  of  keeping  a  record  of  each  child  until  offi- 
ciallv   discharged  by  principal   is,   in   our  opinion,   right 
(Bachman) 

As  to  Ungraded  Classes  (Goddard) 

Teachers  are.  as  a  rule,  faithful,  conscientious,  interested  in 

their  problem 
Most  hopeful  sign  is  that  nearly  all  of  them  are  painfully 

aware  of  their  own  lack  of  training 
In  a  few  schools  very  satisfactory  work  is  being  done  in 

spite  of  all  the  handicaps 
On  the  whole  the  rooms  are  good 
Great  work  is  being  done  and  a  work  which  cannot  and 

must  not  be  stopped  because  of  its  value  to  the  children 

who  are  in  the  regular  grades 

As  to  High  School  Organization  and  Administration  (Ballou) 
Standard  of  25  hours  work  a  week  for  each  teacher  seems 

to  us  satisfactory 
Having  teachers  in  charge  of  most  of  these  administrative 
functions,  such  as  sororities,  fraternities,  school  publica- 
tions, athletics,  is  approved  because  teachers  are  gaining 
valuable  insight  into  the  administration  of  the  school  and 
thereby  increasing  their  teaching  efficiency 

As  to  High  School  Course  of  Study  (Davis) 

Compared  with  ten  other  cities  New  York  gives  equal  or 
greater  attention  to  foreign  languages,  drawing,  oral  ex- 
pression and  physical  training 

Branches  offered  in  New  York  City  and  not  provided  in 
many  of  the  other  cities  are:  Italian,  English  history  as  a 
separate  subject,  and  advanced  or  supplementary  courses 
in  Greek  and  Latin 

In  aggregate  amount  of  foreign  language  offered.  New  York 
exceeds  every  other  city 

The  general  plan  of  dividing  the  high  school  system  into 
general  and  special  curricula  is  commended 

In  other  academic  branches  scope  of  w^ork  offered  is  more 
nearly  in  keeping  whh  the  liberal  spirit  of  the  age;  in 
mathematics  and  foreign  languages  the  scope  is  ample 
and  calls  for  no  expansion 

Newly  issued  syllabi  on  courses  in  history  are  planned  to 
correct  several  defects  found  in  the  old  syllabi 

As  to  Commercial  Education  (Thompson) 

Geographical  distribution  of  schools  with  respect  to  resi- 
dential needs  is  deserving  of  commendation 

Inspection  of  work  of  commercial  teachers  [number  not 
given]  showed  a  general  good  level  of  achievement 


Praise — Continued  11 

Requirements  for  commercial  teachers  are  well  suited  to 
secure  efficient  and  trained  teachers,  except  for  teachers 
of  commercial  English,  commercial  modern  languages, 
economics  and  business  organization 

Two  commercial  higli  schools  show  praiseworthy  effort  to 
make  all  school  subjects  reflect  the  vocational  purpose 
of  the  schools 

No  shortage  of  commercial  equipment  is  reported 

Practice  work  connected  with  clerical  subjects  is  noticeably 
intelligent  and  effective 

Employment  bureaus  and  follow-up  systems  are  reported  in 
pratically  all  schools 

Several  schools  report  cooperation  with  typewriter  com- 
panies in  placing  graduates 

Course  has  been  proposed  to  offer  advanced  work,  unre- 
stricted to  clerical  arts,  to  one  class  of  commercial 
workers 

As  to  Trade  Training  (Schneider) 

Manhattan  Trade  School  offers  an  opportunity  to  300  girls 
to  be  skilled  work-women  "in  a  shorter  time  than  through 
trade  training  alone" 

As  a  prevocational  school  for  girls  this  school  can  be  most 
highly  recommended 

The  chief  virtue  of  the  school  (Boys'  Trade)  lies  in  the 
attraction  it  offers  a  restless  and  school-sick  boy  to  con- 
tinue in  a  less  academic  but  vigorous  school  course 

As  to  Night  Schools  (Schneider) 

Doing  three  commendable  kinds  of  work;  teaching  English 
to  foreigners,  teaching  industrial  science  to  those  in  ener- 
gizing occupations;  and  giving  instruction  in  dressmak- 
ing, millinery  and  household  science 

Classes  composed  of  adults  in  energizing  trades  are  thor- 
ough and  to  the  point,  and  students  are  alert 

As  to  Parental  School  (Schneider) 

It  is   without   question  the   best  prevocational   school   the 

writer  has  seen 
Every  boy  who  stays  long  enough  is  brought  into  contact 

with  most  of  the  trades  necessary  to  the  maintenance  of 

a  community 

As  to  Attendance  Work 

Annually  since  1908  defects  of  organization  and  procedure 
have  been  the  object  of  severe  criticism  in  the  reports  of 
the  associate  superintendent  in  charge  (Burks) 

As  to  Part  Time 

The  Ettinger  plan  promoted  from  one  to  seven  more  chil- 
dren per  hundred  than  full  time  classes ;  and  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  other  part  time  plans  (Bachman) 


12  PiLviSE — Continued 

As  to  Intermediate  Schools  (Bachman) 

Supcrioritv  of  intermediate  and  1A-6B  schools  over  schools 
with  eight  grades  is  shown  because:  .43  of  1%  fewer 
pupils  leave  6R  classes;  \^c  fewer  pupils  leave  7th  and 
8th  year;  2%  more  pupils  promoted;  13  times  more  terms 
of  work  covered 

Economy  of  three  intermediate  schools  demonstrated  as 
compared  to  13  all-grade  schools  with  about  the  same 
number  of  children,  because  they  require  5.33%  fewer 
regular  class  rooms;  27.32%  fewer  manual  training  shops; 
17.10%^  fewer  cooking  rooms;  18. 17^0  fewer  gymnasiums; 
$400,000  less  in  original  investment  for  shops  and  cooking 
rooms  for  20,000  7A-SB  pupils;  5.31%  fewer  regular  class 
teachers;  S.01%  fewer  manual  training  teachers;  8.01% 
fewer  cooking  teachers ;  $35,000  less  in  salaries  required 
to  provide  for  20,000  7A-8B  pupils;  19.11 7o  less  expense 
for  shop  equipment 

Intermediate  school  offers  superior  educational  possibilities 
because  it  can  ofTer  (a)  different  courses  of  study  to  meet 
the  needs  of  those  planning  "academic"  courses,  those  en- 
tering vocational  schools  and  those  who  must  work  as 
soon  as  legally  permitted;  (b)  adaptation  of  instruction 
to  different  needs  of  two  sexes;  (c)  classification  of  pupils 
by  capacity;  (d)  promotion  by  subjects;  (e)  adaptation 
of  school  organization  to  fit  pupils  of  12-14  years  for 
athletics,  club  work,  social  activities,  self-government 

As  to  Construction  and  Care  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Beautifully  built  and  well  adapted  to  their  respective  uses 
Temperature  control  system  now  employed  is  good 
Schools  are  in  the  main  well  cleaned 
Very  little  fault  can  be  found  with  engineers  and  janitors 

when  one  considers  the  plants  they  are  asked  to  operate 
The  architect  has  designed  a  very  ingenious  system  of  en- 
closed stairways 

As  to  Delays  in  Construction  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 
Formal  proceeding  in  acquiring  sites  is  not  actually  adhered 

to :  material  decrease  in   delay  results  from  cooperation 

of  board  of  education  committees,  etc 
Delay   has  decreased   since   board  of  estimate   insisted   on 

statement    from    board    of   education    showing   order   of 

priority  and  proving  use  of  population  data  and  of  other 

local  surveys  in  selection  of  school  sites 

As  to  Ventilation  (Baskerville-Winslow) 

Air  in  all  M  typical  schools  visited  [out  of  527  ])uildings], 
some  with  natural  and  some  with  artificial  ventilation,  is 
in  good  condition,  free  from  excess  dust  and  bacteria, 
reasonably  low  in  carbon  dioxide,  cool  and  well  regulated 


Defects  13 

as  to  temperature,  though  somewhat  dry;  average  of 
600,000  dust  particles  per  cu.  ft.  of  air 

No  proof  of  presence  of  specific  organic  substances  in 
respired  air  after  extensive  investigations  by  Dr.   Lucas 

Number  of  bacteria  is  normal  for  good  indoor  air,  aver- 
aging less  than  100  per  cu.  ft. 

Of  1,800  determinations  of  school  room  temperature  only 
14%  were  over  71° 

CONDITIONS  SAID  TO  NEED  CORRECTION 

Method  of  Examining  and  Rating  Now  Permits  Selection  of 
Unfit  Teachers  and  Principals 

Fact  base:  (1)  documentary  material,  (2)  special  data 
in  response  to  requests,  (3)  individual  and  group 
conferences,  (4)  visitation  of  21  [out  of  497]  ele- 
mentary schools,  (5)  critical  examination  of  meth- 
ods of  work  of  boards  and  individuals  constituting 
supervisory  staff,  detailed  examination  of  many 
hundred  reports  of  supervisory  officers  on  efficiency 
of  temporary  license  holders;  many  personal  in- 
spections of  method  used  by  district  superinten- 
dents and  principals  in  passing  on  qualifications  of 
teachers;  replies  to  four  questions  by  four  mem- 
bers of  board  who  are  nominated  from  eligible  list 
by  city  superintendent  to  supervise  conduct  of 
examinations,  direct  all  written  and  oral  tests,  per- 
sonally interview  all  applicants,  prepare  papers, 
vote  all  matters  of  licensing,  etc:  Elliott  report: 
144  pages 

The  fact  that  there  are  in  schools  at  the  present  time  so  many 
teachers  possessing  an  inadequate  and  imperfect  command 
of  English  points  not  only  to  a  weakness  in  the  examination 
system,  but  also  to  a  laxity  in  the  supervision  by  the  prin- 
cipals and  district  superintendents  who  permit  renewal  of 
licenses 

The  methods  and  results  of  the  teaching  staff  in  the  schools 
of  the  city  to-day  undoubtedly  are  open  to  criticism 

Responsibility  of  board  of  examiners  for  character  and  fitness 
is  transferred  after  appointment  to  district  superintendent, 
directors  and  principals 

Present  board  is  too  small  to  accomplish  diverse  duties 

Well  recognized  tendency  of  such  examining  bodies  is  to 
become  isolated  from  the  situation  under  their  control 

If  any  criticism  were  to  be  made,  it  would  be  against  the 
leniency  of  the  board  in  passing  persons  of  doubtful  personal 
and  linguistic  qualifications 

Having  answer  papers  of  written  examinations  read  and  rated 
by  "considerable  number  of  principals  and  teachers"  as 
assistants,  introduces  numerous  elements  of  unreliability 


14  Defects — Continued 

Dangers  should  be  emphasized  arising  from  the  system  of 
cramming  and  coaching  for  examinations  that  has  grown 
up  in  the  city 

"Forced"  professional  preparation  is  all  the  more  aggravated 
when  attempted  by  those  belonging  to  active  supervisory 
or  teaching  stafT 

Classroom  tests  of  those  qualifying  for  principal's  license  are 
not  a  valid  test  of  either  teaching  or  supervisory  capacity, 
because  tests  conducted  under  abnormal  teaching  conditions 
and  standards  of  judgment  applied  are,  in  most  instances, 
whollv  unreliable  measures  of  candidates'  real  efficiency 

Rating  of  principals  on  13  points  by  "majority"  of  district 
superintendents  is  a  merely  formal  procedure.  In  "certain" 
cases,  ratings  of  one  year  merely  copied  from  report  of 
preceding  year 

Work  of  principals  not  subjected  to  that  cautious  objective 
examination  that  should  constitute  the  foundation  of  the 
ratings,  if  the  ratings  are  worth  making  at  all 

Standards  for  "fit  and  meritorious  service"  are  too  uncertain 
and  variable  to  guarantee  the  selection,  retention  and  reward 
of  those  principals  most  fit  and  meritorious 

Median  age  of  84  elementary  principals  appointed  1908-1912 
is  36  for  men  and  44  for  women ;  i.e.,  11  men  and  27  women 
appointed  when  40  or  over ;  4  women  at  45  ;  4  at  46 ;  2  at  49 ; 
2  at  52 ;  1  man  at  45,  46,  47 

During  three  years  1909-1911,  only  1%  approximately  of  initial 
probationary  licenses  were  refused  permanency 

Reports  for  renewal  of  temporary  licenses  are  purely  formal 
in  great  majority  of  cases  on  the  part  of  both  principal  and 
district  superintendent 

Radically  diverse  standards  are  employed  by  supervisory  offi- 
cers in  determining  renewal  of  teachers'  licenses 

General  criticism  of  method  of  supervisory  officers  in  report- 
ing on  work  of  teachers,  will  hold  as  applying  to  the  approv- 
al of  service  as  "fit  and  meritorious" 

The  relatively  few  disapprovals  of  service  mean  "in  all  prob- 
ability" the  employment  of  a  very  lenient  standard  by  ap- 
proving officers;  of  1,984  teachers  rated  by  district  superin- 
tendents, only  11  were  rated  as  non-meritorious  in  discipline  ; 
of  2.235  teachers  rated  by  principals,  only  11  rated  as  non- 
meritorious  in  instruction,  etc 

Tendency  is  for  district  superintendent  as  matter  of  form  to 
discount  ratings  given  teachers  by  principals 

Careful  application  in  high  schools  of  superior  merit  provision 
(as  found  by  investigation  and  inspection  b}-  associate  city 
superintendent,  district  superintendent  and  principal,  and 
affirmed  by  majority  of  board  of  examiners)  will  result  in 
more  intelligent  procedure  in  ajjproving  license  renewals 


Defects — Continued  15 

Plan  and  Fact  Base  Lacking  for  Investigation  and  Appraisal 
by  General  Supervisors  or  Board 

Fact  base:    See  page  13:    Elliott  report 

There  is  nowhere  within  the  system  a  clear  and  conscious  dis- 
crimination between  those  activities  of  control  that  are 
administrative  in  character,  and  those  that  are  supervisory 
or  inspectorial 

The  organization  of  the  school  system  has  been  from  the  top 
down  rather  than  from  the  bottom  up,  a  procedure  as  ob- 
structive to  progress  and  real  growth  in  education  as  it  is  in 
other  institutions 

Schools  of  the  city  are  (1)  under  the  continued  necessity  of 
reacting  to  a  maximum  amount  of  external  administrative 
control ;  (2)  influenced  by  a  minimum  amount  of  competent 
expert  and  constructive  supervision;  and  (3)  not  receiving 
the  benefits  of  regular  inspection  and  of  unbiased  estimates 
of  the  value  of  their  method  and  products 

Altogether  too  little  genuine  and  progressive  leadership  in- 
fluences the  work  of  the  teachers  or  the  accomplishment  of 
pupils 

"We  have  been  brought  into  contact  with  many  such  persons 
(i.e.,  judicially  tempered  individuals  within  the  system  it- 
self) who  as  teachers  or  principals  or  superintendents  were 
willing  to  bring  forward  unbiased  and  substantial  testimony 
bearing  directly  upon  the  objects  of  the  investigation.  How- 
ever, except  in  the  case  of  a  few  negligible  and  minor  mat- 
ters, they  were  expressly  unwilling  to  permit  themselves 
to  appear  as  witnesses  of  record.  The  explanation  for  this 
disinclination  invariably  given  was  that  the  expression  of 
critical  judgments  militated  seriously  against  their  profes- 
sional standing  and  advancement" 

Those  responsible  for  school  organization  appear  "intentionally 
or  unintentionally"  to  have  discouraged  competent  criticism 
and  permitted  incompetent  criticism  to  undermine  intelligent 
public  confidence 

Chief  evil  of  the  existing  scheme  of  control  is  to  be  found  in 
the  disinclination  to  untilize  experience  of  great  body  of 
teachers  and  supervisors 

System  suffers  from  lack  of  definite,  detailed  knowledge  of  its 
own  working  and  its  own  cost 

Officials  charged  with  responsibility  for  administrative  or 
supervisory  duty  appraise  their  own  performances 

"No  outside  agency  could  carry  forward  the  work  of  inspec- 
tion, of  formulating  impartial  judgments  of  results,  and  of 
proposing  new  procedures  without  much  friction  and  loss 
of  energy" 


16  Defects — Continued 

Board    of    Superintendents    "Bureaucratic"    and    "Static" 
Fact  base:    See  page  13:    Elliott  report 

Board  of  8  associate  superintendents  and  tlie  city  superinten- 
dent (ciiairman)  with  charter  right  of  initiative  in  all  educa- 
tional matters,  including  nomination  of  teachers,  recommen- 
dation of  supplies  and  text  books,  suggestion  of  courses  of 
study,  direction  of  school  organization  and  instruction,  has 
failed  to  meet  in  any  complete  manner  the  obligation  laid 
upon  it 

For  the  ready  execution  of  administrative  duties,  it  is  an  un- 
wieldy and'  complicated  organization 

Does  not  appear  to  have  any  well  defined  qualification  for 
nomination  of  district  superintendents 

Fullv  three-fourths  of  the  matters  before  board  (relating  to 
leave  of  absence,  assignment,  transfer,  nomination  of 
teachers)  could  be  cared  for  independently  by  the  city  super- 
intendent acting  in  an  administrative  capacity 

Minutes  bristle  with  trivial  items 

One-quarter  of  the  matters  pertain  to  educational  detail  and 
supervisory  policy  that  should  be  determined  upon  by  those 
in  actual  contact  with  work  of  teachers  and  pupils 

Usual  order  of  procedure  (checks  and  balances)  would  not  be 
tolerated  by  a  well-organized  industrial  or  commercial  estab- 
lishment 

System  of  geographic  supervision  (by  district  instead  of  by 
classes  of  work)  now  quite  obviously  yields  a  service  of 
doubtful  worth 

Supervision  of  schools  by  division  superintendents  is  ineflfec- 
tive,  unwise  and  uneconomical,  judged  by  their  annual  re- 
ports to  the  city  superintendent 

As  supervisory  officers,  they  are  too  far  removed  from  actual 
conditions  confronting  teachers  to  render  kinds  of  service 
most  needed 

For  proper  inspection  and  appraisal  of  work  of  schools  a 
training  and  capacity  radically  different  from  those  of  ad- 
ministrative officers  are  required 

For  digest  of  the  reply  by  the  board  of  superintendents,  see  page  68 

District  Superintendents  "Notably  Inert" 

Fact  base:    See  page  13:   Elliott  report 

Of  26  superintendents  whose  duties  are  (1)  to  keep  district 
records  and  reports  ;  (2)  confer  with  teachers  and  principals  ; 
(3)  inspect  schools  and  work;  (4)  rate  principals  and 
teachers;  (5)  suspend  teachers;  (6)  enforce  compulsory  at- 
tendance; (7)  assign  special  teachers;  (8)  approve  requisi- 
tions; (9)  report  on  local  school  board  meetings;  (10)  inves- 
tigate complaints, — all  but  two  or  three  are  products  of  New 


Defects — Continued  17 

York  education,  training,  experience;  this  inbreeding  is  not 
a  negligible  factor  of  weakness 

Qualifications  for  nomination  of  district  superintendents  are 
not  defined 

As  deputy  supervisors  of  the  city  superintendent  their  posi- 
tion is  anomalous 

Monthly  reports  are  made  out  in  a  most  formal  manner 

Very  few  are  able  to  make  any  very  clear  distinction  between 
administrative  routine  and  supervision 

Several  say  frankly  that  their  major  energies  are  consumed 
by  clerical  labor  and  office  routine 

Directors  and  Teachers  of  Some  Special  Branches 
Unnecessary 

Fact  base:    See  page  13:    Elliott  report 

Number  of  special  branch  teachers  increased  from  305  in  1902, 
to  479  in  1910  (an  increase  of  57%  while  the  average  attend- 
ance increased  37%  during  the  same  period) 

Special  branches  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  attaining  a  recog- 
nized and  guaranteed  place  in  the  program  of  studies  in 
public  schools 

Conspicuous  problem  of  special  branches  is  found  in  the 
dearth  of  qualified  and  competent  teachers 

823  kindergarten  teachers  are  supervised  by  one  director  and 
two  assistants 

Elementary  Principals  Mere  Clerks,  Not  Supervising,  Inde- 
pendent Initiators 

Fact  base:    See  page  13:   Elliott  report 

Principal  is  not  recognizedly  responsible  for  school  organiza- 
tion and  supervision  in  his  school  building;  i.e.,  has  no  real 
supervisory  independence  or  initiative,  while  practically  all 
the  constructive  features  of  his  work  are  under  immediate 
control  of  assistant  and  district  superintendents 

Waste  through  system  of  appointing  so-called  additional 
teachers  for  clerical  service ;  also  waste  from  number  and 
character  of  various  monthly,  annual  and  special  statistical 
reports  that  must  be  submitted  by  principals 

Approximately  three-fourths  of  84  elementary  school  princi- 
pals appointed  1908-1912  received  all  education,  training  and 
experience  in  schools  of  New  York 

Less  than  10%  of  those  appointed  had  profitable  experience  in 
schools  outside 

Marked  tendency  toward  inbreeding  deprives  system  of  the 
infusion  of  new  blood,  both  in  teachers  and  supervisors, 
required  for  its  progressive  development 


18  Defects — Continued 

Superintendents'  Time  Wasted  On  Clerical  Routine 

Fact  base:  Communications  filed  in  the  offices  of  the 
city  superintendent  and  associate  superintendents; 
personal  interviews:   Averill  report:    50  pages 

Clerical  routine  work  consumes  altogether  too  much  time  of 
the  citv  superintendent,  associate  superintendents  and  other 
directing  olhcers,  to  the  necessary  neglect  of  supervisory 
educational  work 

The  lack  of  a  central  information  ofhce  entails  a  waste  of 
clerical  assistance  and  leads  to  the  acquisition  and  giving 
out  of  information  of  questionable  reliability,  and  to  the 
making  of  defective  records 

Since  there  are  no  printed  blank  forms  for  many  kinds  of  com- 
munications a  great  amount  of  time  is  sacrificed  in  dictating 
and  typewriting  recurrent  matters,  thus  both  increasing  the 
cost  of  such  work  and  diverting  attention  from  educational 
supervision.  Nearly  52%  of  all  letters  examined  might  have 
been  attended  to  by  subordinates 

The  permission  of  the  city  superintendent  is  required  in  alto- 
gether too  many  minor  matters,  before  action  by  supervisory 
officers 

Of  the  first  316  letters  found  in  the  files  examined,  which  were 
sent  out  by  the  city  superintendent  from  1908  to  1911,  only 
29  represented  matters  in  which  the  city  superintendent 
initiated  the  correspondence;  the  rest  were  answers 

There  is  lack  of  care,  system  and  uniformity  in  filing  letters, 
recent  letters  being  found  in  files  for  obsolete  material, 
letters  belonging  in  one  room  being  in  another,  etc 

Actual  authority  is  not  delegated  to  those  whose  judgment 
would  warrant  it;  i.e..  principals  may  not  grant  teachers 
permission  to  visit  other  schools,  etc 

Even  where  authority  is  delegated  to  individuals,  it  is  not  used 

A  division  of  labor  is  lacking  in  the  offices  of  associate  super- 
intendents, for  each  office  appears  to  be  writing  letters  on 
any  subject  whatever  as  inquiries  come  to  it 

Only  82  out  of  500  recommendations  during  three  and  one- 
half  years  are  from  8  assistant  city  superintendents 

Only  23  out  of  500  recommendations  are  from  23  district  super- 
intendents 

Only  30  out  of  500  recomtnendations  are  from  nearly  600  prin- 
cipals of  schools 

Less  than  one  suggestion  for  the  betterment  of  the  school  sys- 
tem was  found  in  the  records  per  seven  supervisors  in  three 
and  one-half  years;  i.e..  the  records  show  that  only  102 
recommendations  were  made  by  749  principals,  supervisors, 
directors  and  board  members 

Of  the  recommendations  wdiich  touched  such  vital  questions 
as  part  time,  discipline,  attendance  and  retardation,  only  one 
per  cent,  emanated  from  749  supervisors 


Defects — Continued  19 

Negotiations,  particularly  those  of  the  board  of  superinten- 
dents, consume  an  unnecessarily  long  time,  partly  because 
of  the  number  of  hands  through  which  negotiations  are 
passed  before  being  completed 

Attempts  to  cooperate  on  the  part  of  the  public  and  private 
agencies  are  seldom  encouraged  and  frequently  ignored  or 
discouraged 

Of  500  recommendations,  of  which  without  previous  knowl- 
edge of  action,  75  were  examined  in  detail  because  they 
seemed  to  be  the  most  important,  14  were  acted  on  favor- 
ably, 26  showed  no  record  of  any  attention  paid  to  them,  7 
were  merely  acknowledged,  15  were  marked  "for  no  consid- 
eration," 5  were  replied  to  in  an  indefinite  way,  8  were  acted 
upon  unfavorably 

Local  school  boards  have  apparently  been  tolerated,  ignored 
or  regarded  as  a  relic  of  a  system  now  fallen  into  disuse 

Thousands  of  dollars  have  been  lost  each  year  because  the 
problem  of  teachers'  absences  had  not  been  faced  squarely  in 
spite  of  protracted  correspondence  showing  that  facts  were 
no  longer  in  dispute.  [Between  the  making  and  submission 
of  this  report  the  board  of  education  decided  to  deduct,  on 
account  of  absence,  1/300  of  a  year's  salary  instead  of 
1/360] 

Pleas  for  reversal  of  adverse  decisions  are  entertained  with  a 
freedom  which  undermines  the  proper  control  of  the  teach- 
ing force 

Elementary  Teachers  "Static  and  Depressed" 

Fact  base:  Visits  by  12  different  persons  to  60  [out 
of  496]  elementary  schools;  study  of  300  recitations 
"for  all  or  most"  of  300  periods  [out  of  100,000 
possible] ;  consultation  with  not  less  than  100  [out 
of  15,157]  teachers  and  [out  of  840]  supervisors 
and  principals;  application  to  19  typical  recitations, 
four  standards  of  "motivation,"  "evaluation,"  "or- 
ganization" and  "initiative";  "conclusions  are  im- 
mediate result  of  facts  gained  at  first  hand  and 
verified  by  extensive  study  of  curricula  and  sylla- 
bus, and  of  supervision  by  principals":  McMurry 
report:   142  pages 

Instruction  is,  in  spite  of  many  exceptions,  on  a  low  plane, 

poor  in  quality,  and  discouraging  for  the  future 
Not  one  of  the  standards  proposed  for  judging  instruction  is 

satisfactorily  met 
Inculcating  of  purposes  in  pupils  is   scarcely  thought  of  in 

actual  classroom  work 
No  evidence  that  stress  is  laid  on  organization  of  children's 

ideas 
No  time  is  given  to  children's  weighing  of  values 


20  Defects — Continued 

Almost  no  planning  for  pupils'  growth  in  self-reliance  or  self 
expression  through  instruction;  teacher  puts  the  questions, 
makes  the  corrections  and  immediately  directs  every  turn 
that  is  made 

In  quite  a  numljer  of  kindergartens,  dictation  exercises  and 
readvmade  play  are  so  prominent  that  they  directly  oppose 
self-expression  and  self-reliance 

Kindergartens  (without  these  defects)  and  elementary  schools 
fail  to  harmonize;  primary  instruction  tends  to  nullify  im- 
portant lines  of  influence  begun  in  kindergarten  ;  dualism 
within  a  single  system  is  most  wasteful 

Majority  of  teachers  and  principals  seem  reconciled  to  educa- 
tional theory  that  (1)  there  is  scarcely  a  limit  to  the  neces- 
sity for  uniformity ;  (2)  principal  subject  matter  is  what  is 
automatically  usable;  (3)  accuracy  in  detail  is  the  leading 
element  in  scholarship  ;  (4)  knowledge  is  given  for  use  in 
the  distant  future,  not  now 

According  to  conviction  held  by  teachers  [number  not  given], 
teachers'  attitude  is  not  satisfactory  because  they  are:  (1) 
hampered  by  lack  of  authority  to  punish  children  ;  (2)  not 
free  to  change  curriculum,  choose  text  books,  determine 
methods ;  (3)  not  developing  initiative  or  self-expression ; 
(4)  without  inspired  leadership;  (5)  not  discussing  aims 
and  principles 

Any  independent  efforts  of  teachers  to  reorganize  subject  mat- 
ter, stress  relative  values  or  provide  for  motive  in  an  ori- 
ginal manner,  would  run  the  risk  of  disapproval  by  their 
superiors 

Investigators  were  unable  to  discover  either  any  general  striv- 
ing toward  the  higher  aims  of  instruction  or  even  signs  of 
such  general  striving 

Discipline  Deficient 

Fact  base:  See  page  19:  "Numerous  conversations 
with  teachers  and  principals  and  correspondence 
also":    McMurry  report 

By-law  prohibiting  corporal  punishment  often  ignored 

Common  practice  for  principal  to  "smooth  over  the  case"  or 
to  ignore  it  outright,  leaving  to  classroom  teacher  the 
responsibility  of  getting  on  with  each  pupil  as  best  she  can 

Substitutes  "more  cruel  than  corporal  punishment"  are  com- 
monly applied 

Large  number  of  children  are  extremely  disobedient  and  dis- 
orderly 

Accommodations  in  truant,  disciplinary  and  parental  schools 
are  not  sufficient,  and  often  not  what  many  of  these  semi- 
incorrigible  children  need 

Red  tape  of  commitment  causes  delay  and  takes  much  time  of 
principal  with  possible  uncertain  outcome 


Defects — Continued  21 

Elementary  Curriculum  Out  of  Date 

Judgment  base:  Four  standards  applied  to  printed 
statements  in  curriculum  and  syllabi  on  all  sub- 
jects except  history,  civics,  penmanship  and  for- 
eign language:  (1)  relation  of  subject  matter  to 
children's  purposes;  (2)  tendency  to  call  forth  in- 
itiative in  children  and  teachers;  (3)  kind  and 
degree  of  organization  of  subject  matter;  (4)  atten- 
tion to  relative  values:    McMurry  report 

Barring-  a  few  exceptions   the  curriculum   and   syllabi   could 

both  easily  have  applied  twenty  years  ago 
"One  naturally  suspects  that  such  a  course  and  truancy  are 

closely  related" 
Syllabi  merely  inform ;  fail  to  inspire  good  teachers ;  directly 

limit  them  to  low  ideals 
Most  striking  fact  about  curriculum  and  syllabi  is   want  of 

educational  leadership  they  display 
Syllabi  do  not  allow  freedom  of  teachers  to  grow  or  offer 

positive  aids  to  growth 
Little  attention  to  correlation  of  subjects 
Almost  no  reference  to  importance  of  teaching  children  to 

study  alone 

Kindergarten 

Overemphasis  in  some  quarters  of  more  formal  values, 
technique,  precision,  exact  imitation 

Reading  and  Literature 

Offering  too  narrow ;  neglects  current  literature ;  no  free- 
dom for  development  of  special  taste;  as  a  whole,  striking 
overemphasis  of  minor  parts  of  good  reading,  i.e.,  of  form 
in  distinction  from  thought;  arbitrary  offering  to  teachers 
of  suggestions  on  methods 

Composition  and  Grammar 

Ignore  need  of  motive  for  expression  of  thought ;  grammar 
is  crowding  out  other  more  necessary  work ;  syllabus 
omits  emphasis  on  fitness  and  force ;  importance  of  corre- 
lation between  literature  and  composition  is  not  recog- 
nized; imitation  is  made  so  prominent  that  individuality 
of  children  is  endangered;  suggestions  for  development 
of  originality  are  wanting;  directions  to  teachers  seriously 
limit  freedom:  adaptation  to  individual  conditions  of 
schools  is  prevented 

Spelling 

Little  reference  to  reviewing  and  testing  words  in  actual 
sentence;  suggestions  about  how  to  present  new  words 
are  too  limited ;   value  of  proper  enunciation  is  slighted 


22  Defects — Continued 

Music 

Xo  etYort  to  define  or  suggest  good  materials;  lack  of  defi- 
nite requirements  for  application  or  scholarship  tends  to 
reduce  singing  to  mere  entertainment  exercise;  music  as 
planned  is  purely  technical ;  peculiar  disregard  of  individu- 
ality 

Nature  Study  and  Elementary  Science 

Xo  provision  for  relation  to  human  life;  completely  out  of 
line  with  elementary  education  ;  uniform  syllabus  for  all 
schools  is  equally  undesirable  and  unsatisfactory;  topics 
are  isolated  ;  ability  of  teachers  to  give  instruction  varies 
even  more  than  ability  to  teach  music ;  material  provided 
is  inadequate;  syllabus  needs  supplementing;  course  ig- 
nores interest  on  part  of  young  people ;  enumerates  topics 
rather  than  offers  an  original  outline ;  little  opportunity 
for  correlation  with  other  subjects;  self-expression  of 
teacher  is  circumscribed 

Arithmetic 

Organization  is  relentlessly  logical ;  rigid  sequence  of  sub- 
ject matter;  contains  many  things  of  doubtful  value 
which  if  omitted  would  reduce  course  from  eight  to  six 
years ;  bears  no  relation  to  practical  affairs ;  little  provi- 
sion for  pupils'  motivation;  excessive  amount  of  drill; 
destitute  of  suggestions  for  supplementary  work  ;  extreme- 
ly difficult  for  teachers  or  pupils  to  exercise  initiative 

Drawing,  Construction  Work,  Cooking,  Sewing 

X^o  direct  relationship  between  drawings  and  projects  actu- 
ally constructed  in  a  shop  or  elsewhere;  technical  effi- 
ciency is  chief  end  point;  organization  is  almost  solely  on 
a  mechanical  basis  and  correlation  (except  for  cooking) 
is  omitted;  motivation  is  not  considered  a  problem  at  all 

Geography 

Xo  consideration  of  children's  interest;  fixed  sequence  and 
uniformity  of  approach  for  all  children  ;  insistence  on  one 
fixed  order  seriously  interferes  with  exercise  of  initiative 
by  teachers  and  pupils;  no  plan  for  close  correlation  be- 
tween geography,  history,  good  citizenship  and  nature 
study ;  course  shows  no  influence  from  educational 
thought  during  last  25  years;  not  enough  time  allotted  to 
course 

Physical  Training 

In  many  schools,  no  facilities  for  running,  folk-dancing  and 
athletics;  teachers  are  not  trained  to  do  this  kind  of  work 
and  have  little  interest  in  it;  curriculum  composed  chiefly 
of  gymnastics,  planned  from  adult  viewpoint  exclusively; 
marked  emphasis  on  posture  and  coordination;  lacks 
emphasis  on  more  vital  and  real  elements  in  physical  edu- 


Defects — Continued  23 

cation ;  children  held  down  to  dull  monotony  of  teacher's 
count;  teacher  has  as  little  opportunity  for  originality, 
choice  and  initiative  as  the  child 

Hygiene 

Entirely  neglected  in  "many  of  the  schools";  undue  empha- 
sis placed  on  more  formal  and  less  valuable  parts;  princi- 
pally list  of  topics  that  supposedly  a  child  ought  to  know; 
little  provision  for  exercise  of  individuality  of  teachers 
and  pupils 

Elementary  Principals  Ineffective  as  Supervisors 

Judgment  base:  See  page  19:  32  replies  from  a  ques- 
tionnaire sent  to  83  principals:  four  standards;  (1) 
proportion  of  time  spent  in  supervision;  (2)  char- 
acter of  supervision;  (3)  manner  of  rating  teachers; 
(4)  method  of  supervision,  applied  to  certain  prin- 
cipals [number  not  told] :  McMurry  report 

Amount  of  time  spent  by  a  principal  with  any  one  teacher  at 
any  one  time  is  extremely  small ;  average  six  minutes 

No  remarks  are  as  a  rule  made  to  teacher  after  watching 
recitation 

Office  interviews  with  teachers  are  notably  short,  three  or 
four  minutes ;  given  without  preparation  by  principal 

One  hundred  teachers  [number  questioned  not  stated]  ex- 
pressed opinions  that  practically  no  help  is  given  to  teachers 
by  principals 

Teachers'  conferences  give  small  place  to  instruction,  discus- 
sion is  rare,  effect  is  to  depress  rather  than  stimulate 
teachers 

Common  for  teachers  to  declare  that  fear  of  punishment  by 
low  mark  prevents  freedom  of  expression 

Two-thirds  of  time  and  energy  of  principals  devoted  to  ad- 
ministrative duties 

Little  distinction  is  made  in  practice  by  principals  between 
administrative  and  supervising  duties 

Principals  exhausted  by  constantly  pressing  details  of  admin- 
istration 

Large  schools  intensify  pressure  of  administrative  work 

Appointment  of  assistant  principals  does  not  remedy  this  evil 
as  they  do  mostly  clerical  work ;  great  waste  of  money  at 
this  point 

Elementary  Principals  Lack  Authority 

Fact  base:    See  page  19:   McMurry  report 

Have  no  authority  in  choice  of  studies,  with  the  exception  of 
one  slight  option  in  the  eighth  grade ;  practically  no  author- 
ity as  to  content ;  and  only  slight  degree  of  freedom  in  allot- 
ting time  to  separate  branches  and  subjects 


24  Defects — Continued 

Are  forestalled  by  the  syllabi  which  set  narrow  limits  for 
teachers  and  omit  reference  to  aims  and  principles 

Are  directly  subject  to  the  district  superintendent  who  rates 
them 

Teachers  are  inclined  to  look  to  district  superintendent  (who 
rates  them  also)  as  their  head  rather  than  to  principal 

Principals  have  no  control  over  special  supervisors 

Some  assert  outright  they  are  merely  agents  of  the  district 
superintendent 

Frequency  of  rating  teachers  makes  examinations  unnecessar- 
ily prominent 

Rating  list  of  following  17  points  is  inadequate,  important  for 
what  it  does  not  include,  and  fails  to  suggest  any  of  the 
purposes  of  teaching:  ability  to  comprehend  instructions; 
ability  to  cooperate  with  other  teachers:  skill  in  blackboard 
work:  skill  in  questioning;  skill  in  presentation;  use  of  ob- 
jective illustrations:  power  to  interest:  thoroughness  of 
drill;  self-control  and  manners;  use  of  English  language: 
use  of  voice ;  attendance ;  punctuality ;  personal  tidiness ; 
accuracy  in  keeping  records  and  making  records;  control  of 
class;  energy  and  success  in  self-improvement 

Uniformity  of  method  is  at  great  premium  in  New  York  and 
affects  principals'  theory  of  supervision  which  becomes  the 
mere  prescribing  of  certain  series  of  "steps,"  eight  or  more, 
"an  established  procedure"  for  teaching  each  topic 

Neither  voluntary  nor  required  reports  of  principals  to  board 
of  superintendents  in  last  five  years  show  concern  about 
either  the  theory  or  practice  of  supervision  of  instruction 

Relation  of  principals  to  their  superior  officers  does  not  allow 
them  to  make  recommendations  to  those  officers  to  which 
the  latter  are  under  obligations  to  reply 

Age-Grade  Reports  "Inaccurate  and  Unreliable" 

Fact    base:      City    superintendent's     annual    reports, 
1905-1911:    Bachman  report  on  overage:    52  pages 

Aftcr-June-promotion  grades  have  been  given  since  1905  ;  be- 
fore-June-promotion  grades  were  given  in  1904;  in  subse- 
quent comparisons  of  1904  with  later  years,  no  mention  of 
the  change  in  base 

By  comparing  after-promotion  grade  totals  in  1905  with  be- 
fore-promotion  grade  totals  of  1904,  a  decrease  of  7%  in 
overage  children  (39%  to  ^2%)  was  shown;  an  increase  of 
2%  (from  39%  to  41%)  would  have  been  shown  had  1905 
before-promotion  figures  been  compared  with  1904  before- 
promotion  figures 

A  4%  understatement  of  overage  is  due  to  putting  into  eight 
"years"  the  facts  for  16  "grades"  instead  of  reporting  the 
16  half-year  grades  separately 


Defects — Continued  25 

A  12%  understatement  is  due  to  comparing'  June  ages  with 
after-promotion  (i.e.,  next  year's)  grades  rather  than  wich 
before-promotion  (i.e.,  June)  grades 

An  IS/'o  understatement  is  due  to  using  up-to-15  instead  of 
up-to-145^  as  the  normal  age  for  completing  the  eight  grade 

30,995  pupils  who  left  January-June,  1911,  are  not  included  in 
age-grade  reports 

28,838  children  in  special  classes  for  overage  and  "working 
certificate,"  and  "non-English  speaking"  pupils  are  excluded 
from  age-grade  comparative  reports,  as  are  all  pupils  in 
ungraded  classes  for  the  feebleminded,  the  blind,  deaf,  crip- 
pled 

66.57%  of  New  York's  elementary  pupils  would  have  been 
shown  to  be  overage  by  a  correct  age-grade  report,  instead 
of  23.22%,  as  reported  by  the  city  superintendent.  [The 
investigator's  "correct"  table  would  not  include  "under- 
aged"  or  "normal  aged"  children  who  had  failed  one  or  more 
times  within,  for  example,  the  "up-to-7j4"  year  limit  for 
being  in  the  first  grade,  June  30.     B.  M.  R.] 

Age  grade  conditions  not  for  the  full  official  year  but  for  i)art 
of  the  pupils  for  the  second  term  only,  are  shown  by  present 
reports 

Definite  information  useful  to  principals  and  teachers  in  classi- 
fying and  instructing  children  is  not  supplied 

Reports  on   Non-Promotion  "Incomplete"  and  "Misleading" 

Fact  base:  Figures  in  annual  reports  of  the  city 
superintendent;  returns  from  questionnaire  sent  to 
all  elementary  principals  and  teachers  concerning 
569,612  children  on  register  at  the  end  of  February- 
June  term  1911,  not  including  the  children  who  left 
before  end  of  term:  (63%  of  principals'  answers 
contained  errors) :  Bachman  report  on  non-pro- 
motion:   115  pages 

Blanks  prepared  by  city  superintendent  could  not  be  tabu- 
lated in  more  than  one  way ;  directions  to  principals  were 
inadequate 

Most  frequent  rate  of  promotion  (made  last  day  of  term, 
not  during  term)  is  from  89  to  90%,  with  exception  of  lA 
(76%)  and  8B  (97%) 

Unnecessary  Clogging  in  lA 

10,314  pupils  in  lA  were  left  back  in  June  to  re-enter  this 

grade  in  September,  to  overcrowd  classes  and  to  congest 

the  schools 
Causes  were  inability  to  use  English  language,  part  time, 

immaturity,  oversized  classes  (minor  factors)  and  alisence 
Of  pupils  absent  10  days  and  less  89%  were  promoted  ;  only 

40%  of  those  absent  41  days  and  more  were  promoted 


26  Defects — Continued 

Non-Promotion  Largely  Due  to  Absence 

One  regnstcred  pupil  in  19  was  absent  41  days  and  above 

Absences  in  two  lowest  grades  are  particularly  large  because 
pupils  are  young,  amount  of  sickness  is  greater,  school- 
going  habit  not  yet  acquired,  parents  do  not  feel  necessity 
of  regular  attendance 

Lowest  absence  rate  in  SB  grade,  4.83%  absent  21  days  and 
more  compared  with  13.90%  in  5A  and  39.73%  in  lA 

Rate  of  promotion  varies  inversely  with  absence;  of  those 
absent  10  days  and  less,  6%  were  not  promoted,  while  of 
those  absent  41  days  and  above,  47%  were  not  promoted 

Non-Promotion  Not  Increased  by  Large  Classes 

Of  568.612  pupils  June  30,  1911,  13%  were  in  classes  having 
more  than  50 

Oversize  classes  were  confined  June,  1911,  to  6B  and  lower 
grades 

lA  has  largest  number  of  large  classes 

Number  of  oversized  classes  (over  50)  could  be  reduced 
10%  by  (1)  standardizing  classrooms;  (2)  forming  mixed 
classes  in  grades  1A-6B  ;  (3)  care  of  principals  in  organ- 
izing classes;  (4)  putting  groups  of  pupils  from  2  grades 
in  one  class 

Data  not  at  hand  to  show  to  what  extent  classes  having 
over  50  oflfer  less  favorable  opportunities  for  w^ork  than 
do  smaller  classes 

Teachers  and  school  officials  stated  that  classes  over  50 
should  be  eliminated  and  all  classes  be  reduced  to  at  least 
not  more  than  45  pupils;  yet  rate  of  promotion  in  all 
grades,  excepting  lA,  w^as  the  same  in  classes  of  50  and 
under 

Non-Promotion  Increased  by  Overage 

Fact  base:    Above   figures   and   age-grade   standards 
used  by  city  superintendent;   ages  for  June  30,  1911 

215,333  or  37.87%  children  were  above  normal  age,  accord- 
ing to  reports  to  school  inquiry  committee  [rate  given  by 
city  superintendent  was  2Z.Z%] 

Of  these  56%  are  less  than  one  year  behind  their  grade,  29% 
one  and  two  years  behind ;  10%  two  and  three  years 
behind 

Pupils  between  one  and  two  years  overage  drop  out  in  in- 
creasing numbers  after  6B  grade 
Pupils  between  two  and  three  years  overage  leave  after  5A 
Rate  of  non-promotion  for  overage  pupils  was  higher  from 
4  to  10%  than  for  pupils  of  normal  age  except  in  lA 
grade;  overage  children  tend  to  fall  farther  and  farther 
behind 


Defects — Continued  27 

Inability  to  Use  English  Language  Reduces  Promotions 

Special  fact  base:    Principals'  estimate  of  reasons  for 
non-promotion 

Rate  of  promotion  for  pupils  using  English  was  19%  higher 

than  for  those  unable  to  use  it 
School   work   of  8,739   pupils    in    total    register   of   regular 

classes  was  interfered  with  by  inability  to  use  English ; 

55%  of  these  in  lA  and  IB  grades 
Presence  of  these  pupils  had  no  material  effect  on  rate  of 

promotion  of  their  grades  as  a  whole 

Part  Time  Slight  Factor  in  Non-Promotion 

68,610  children  on  part  time  June  30,  1911;  [90,000,  Sept., 
1912]  of  whom  24%  were  in  lA,  22%  in  IB,  13%  in  2A, 
12%  in  2B,  27%  above  second  grade;  11%  above  third 
grade ;  in  four  different  kinds  of  part  time  classes — a.m., 
p.m. ;  alternating  morning  afid  afternoon ;  and  Ettinger 
part  time  classes 

Children  in  part  time  classes  are  in  school  3^  to  4  hours ; 
though  Ettinger  part  time  classes  have  a  live-hour  school 
day  and  a  considerable  number  of  children  receive  not 
only  a  whole  day's  schooling  but  a  considerable  amount 
of  personal  attention 

From  one  to  seven  more  pupils  out  of  each  hundred  pupils 
were  promoted  in  Ettinger  part  time  classes  than  in  whole 
time  classes  in  the  same  grade;  yet  of  68,610  pupils  on 
part  time  only  8%  were  in  Ettinger,  64%  in  alternating, 
13%  in  morning  and  13%  in  afternoon  classes 

Educational  superiority  of  Ettinger  classes  over  whole  time 
classes  not  yet  proved 

In  4A,  4B  and  6B  grades  promotion  rate  in  whole  time 
classes  is  lower  by  .6  of  1%  than  in  part  time  classes;  in 
other  nine  grades  promotion  rate  higher  by  less  than  2% 
than  in  whole  time  classes 

782  less  children  promoted  among  68,610  part  time  pupils 
(all  grades)  than  would  have  been  promoted  if  rate  in 
whole  time  classes  were  applied 

On  the  basis  of  rate  of  promotion,  alternating  part  time 
classes  afford  less  favorable  opportunities  for  advancement 
than  whole  time  classes ;  in  grades  1A-3B  from  one  to 
three  fewer  pupils  per  hundred  were  promoted 

Opportunities  for  advancement  in  a.m.  and  p.m.  classes  com- 
bined are  less  favorable  than  in  whole  time  classes ;  from 
one  to  five  less  pupils  are  promoted  per  hundred 

No  practical  difference  between  rate  of  promotion  in  alter- 
nating and  in  a.m.  and  p.m.  part  time  classes  combined 

Part  time  has  slight  direct  effect  on  promotions;  probably 
has  no  eft"ect  on  increasing  congestion ;  though  there  may 
be  important  indirect  effects  including  indifference  to 
school  work,  bad  conduct  and  truancy 


28  Defects — Continued 

Putting  on  part  time  the  60,166  wliole  time  pupils  in  lA  and 
IB  grades  would  free  enough  rooms  to  eliminate  the  major 
portion  of  part  time  in  classes  from  grades  above  IB 

Pupils  Leaving  Elementary  School  Not  Studied 

-\o  reports  have  ever  been  made   for  whole  city   on  number 

leaving  elementary  schools  and  reasons  therefor 
15.857    boys    and    15,148    girls    {5%    of    total    enrollment) 

dropped  out  during  February-June  term,  1911 
Losses  from  14  to  15  years  were  20%  of  total  losses;  from 

15-16,  14%  ;  from  16  to  17  years,  7% 
55%  of  pupils  leaving  regular  classes  were  under  14  years 
51%  of  these  were  subject  to  compulsory  education  law 
Fact  that  no  account  is  taken  of  thousands  of  pupils  leaving 

school  leads  to  a  defect  in  certain  of  the  reports  of  the 

city  superintendent 
Report  on  ages  made  by  city  superintendent  includes  only 

pupils  on  register  at  end  of  term  and  omits  30,995  cliildren 

leaving  regular  classes  during  term 
Impossible  to   solve  problem   of  elimination   when   reports 

of  pupils  leaving  and  reasons  therefor  are  not  tabulated 

"Forced  Promotions" 

Fact  that  rate  of  promotion  w^as  uniformly  about  90%  gives 
weight  to  statement  made  repeatedly  by  teachers  and  prin- 
cipals [number  not  given]  that  they  were  "unofficially 
expected"  to  promote  approximately  90% 

Increase  in  rate  of  promotion  in  the  February-June,  1911, 
was  4%  over  rate  for  same  term,  1910,  an  unusually  large 
increase  for  New  York  City.  When  due  allowance  is 
made  for  whatever  increase  in  efficiency  there  may  have 
been,  it  must  be  admitted  by  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
school  conditions  and  school  work  that  this  extraordinary 
increase  was  due  in  most  part  to  the  "pressure"  exercised 
by  the  city  superintendent  of  schools  "to  secure  more 
generous  promotions" 

No  decrease  in  requirements  w^as  made  to  permit  larger 
number  of  legitimate  promotions 

Teachers  "felt  forced"  to  promote  even  children  not  fit  for 
l)romotion,  though  variations  in  rate  of  promotion  (1) 
with  absence,  overage,  etc.,  (2)  in  different  schools.  (3) 
in  same  grade  of  different  schools,  (4)  in  different  gra(les 
of  same  school,  indicate  that  promotions  were  made  on 
judgment,  not  on  a  mere  mechanical  basis 

Rate  of  promotion  ought  ultimately  to  be  about  100% 

Conditions  Favorable  to  Maximum  Promotions  not  Encour- 
aged 
Variations  in  promotion  rate  in  different  grades,  schools  and 
districts  give  little  support  to  the  thought  that  the  maxi- 
mum rate  has  been  attained 


Defects — Continued  29 

No  one  actually  knows  whether  the  best  age  of  entrance  to 
elementary  school  is  five,  six,  seven  or  older ;  therefore 
best  to  follow  custom  of  making  six  lower  age  limit 

General  agreement  that  children  cannot  be  kept  with  profit 
under  the  regime  of  the  elementary  school  much  beyond 
the  beginning  of  pubescence,  i.e.,  14  years 

Little  regard  paid  to  desirable  limits  of  elementary  school 
period  (six  to  14)  as  based  on  custom  of  entering  at  six, 
and  on  average  age  of  reaching  maturity,  14 

64%  of  children  from  13  to  14  years  old  (1905-1908)  con- 
tinued in  school  one  additional  year,  27%  two  additional 
years;  7%  three  or  more  additional  years 

Actual  length  of  attendance  in  elementary  schools  averages 
only  seven  years  for  children  reaching  fourteenth  birthday 

Of  those  graduating  in  last  six  years,  23%  were  under  14, 
36%  from  14  to  15,  27%  from  15  to  16,  10%  from  16  to  17 

Actual  total  length  of  present  elementary  course  exceeds 
by  from  one  to  four  years  the  actual  time  that  76%  of 
pupils  are  in  attendance  l)y  their  fourteenth  birthday 

Of  all  pupils  entering,  but  88%  reach  sixth  grade,  61%  the 
seventh  grade,  47%  the  eighth  grade,  only  41%  are  ever 
able  to  complete  the  course 

No  consideration  is  given  to  varying  abilities  of  children  due 
to  home  conditions,  foreign  parentage,  financial  status 

No  one  knows  with  exactness  how  long  the  present  course 
of  study  is 

Arbitrary  high  school  entrance  requirements  and  arbitrary 
assumptions  of  what  elementary  school  graduates  ought 
to  know  determine  rate  of  promotion,  though  rate  can 
only  be  determined  in  view  of  rapidity  with  which  normal 
children  in  regular  attendance  must  advance  in  order  to 
finish  an  entire  elementary  course  of  study 

Wrong  Method  Used  in  Estimating  Teachers  Needed  in 
Elementary  Schools 

Fact  base:  Estimates,  discussions,  budgets,  official 
records,  register,  attendance:  Bachman  report  on 
estimating  teachers  needed:    73  pages 

Facts  have  not  been  presented  by  the  board  of  education  in 
the  past  to  demonstrate  clearly  the  needs  of  the  schools 

In  1911  teachers  were  requested  for  6,000  more  pupils  than 
there  were  reasons  to  expect;  i.e.,  28,000,  the  estimated  in- 
crease in  register,  was  the  average  increase  of  December 
over  the  preceding  May  for  the  years  1902-1909,  whereas 
the  average  increase  of  December  over  preceding  December 
for  these  same  years  was  21,707 

Estimates  for  1912  and  1913  were  respectively  3,500  and  7,000 
higher  than  the  highest  estimate  that  would  probably  have 
been  made  had  principals,  when  estimating,  taken  into  ac- 


30  Defects — Continued 

count  the  losses  of  pupils  in  achancing  from  grade  to  grade 
and  the  actual  increases  in  such  grades  in  previous  years 

The  district  unit  used  for  1913  has  four  defects:  (a)  no  uni- 
formity in  method  of  making  estimates,  which  cannot  be 
verified,  (h)  tabulation  of  total  register  supplies  no  basis 
for  estimating  distribution  by  grades  and  by  kinds  of  classes, 
(c)  no  data  to  determine  where  more  or  fewer  classes  are 
needed,  (d)  no  data  on  number  of  months  for  which  new 
teachers  will  be  necessary 

Temporary  absence  of  children  on  account  of  weather  and 
holidays  reduces  number  of  pupils  in  average  daily  attend- 
ance, but  in  no  wise  lessens  the  actual  needs  for  teachers 

Average  daily  attendance  should  not  be  made  basis  of  budget- 
ary estimates  because  (1)  represents  minimum,  not  total, 
service  of  school,  (2)  varies  directly  with  weather,  illness 
and  holy  days,  (3)  no  exact  relation  between  it  and  expendi- 
tures for  instruction,  (4)  more  variable  than  register 

Present  monthly  register  shows  only  number  of  pupils  at  the 
end  of  month,  includes  transferred  pupils  and  others  who 
have  not  been  in  school  one  full  day,  but  excludes  dis- 
charges even  when  they  have  been  in  school  during  the 
month 

Estimating  increase  by  individual  schools  is  inaccurate  be- 
cause: (1)  little  uniformity  in  rise  and  fall  of  register  of 
each,  (2)  changes  in  neighl)orhood  make  forecasting  impos- 
sible, (3)  impossible  to  forecast  distribution  among  grades 
and  classes,  (4)  cost  of  operating  in  past  year  not  reliable 
index 

Preventable  Truancy  Not  Prevented 

Fact  base:  Published  reports  of  city  superintendent, 
associate  in  charge,  and  permanent  census  board, 
etc:  manuscript  reports  of  district  superintendents, 
office  records,  "numerous  conferences":  Burks  re- 
port:  75  pages 

Annual  reports  of  district  superintendents  have  never  been 
published  separately  or  utilized  for  comparative  study  of 
methods  as  a  basis  for  administrative  standardization 

Reports  for  1910-1911  compared  as  to  23  items  prove  extra- 
ordinary variation  in  practice  which  is  completely  hidden  by 
the  gross  figures  of  the  published  report 

Variations  in  practice  relate  to  20  different  matters  including 
number  of  truancy  cases  reinvestigated,  number  of  times 
children  found  truant  were  returned  to  school,  number 
placed  on  probation,  number  of  cases  per  attendance  officer 

Weekly  and  monthly  reports  of  attendance  officers  are  am- 
biguous and  incoherent 

No  alphabetical  lists  for  cumulative  data  under  each  case; 
therefore  is  impossible  for  attendance  officers  to  deal  with 
children  in  light  of  past  experience 


Defects — Continued  31 

Daily  time  and  service  records  of  officers  are  too  general  to  be 
of  value  in  supervision 

No  general,  clearly  defined  standards  of  procedure  for  con- 
ducting- preliminary  investigations 

Forms  used  by  principals  in  referring  cases  limit  information 
to  most  obvious  and  superficial  facts  about  each  child 

Unnecessary  repetition  of  records  kept  by  principals  and  at- 
tendance officers 

Length  of  interval  between  reference  of  case  and  attendance 
officers'  report  varies  from  48  hours  to  over  16  days 

Data  included  in  statistical  reports  of  attendance  officers,  if 
properly  analyzed,  classified  and  interpreted,  would  serve 
as  an  invaluable  commentary  on  city's  program  of  education, 
health  conservation,  charitable  relief  and  police  protection 

Value  of  annual  report  as  a  source  of  information  is  seriously 
limited  (1)  by  the  omission  of  important  data,  (2)  by  unan- 
alyzed  totals,  (3)  by  defective  arrangement,  (4)  by  clerical 
inaccuracies,  (5)  by  arbitrary  adjustments  to  "force  bal- 
ances" that  were  assumed  to  be  called  for  in  certain  groups 
of  items,  and  (6)  by  variation  in  definition  of  terms  em- 
ployed 

No  one  individual  in  the  organization  is  charged  with  com- 
plete authority  and  responsibility  for  general  administrative 
control 

Limits  of  authority  and  responsibility  of  each  member  of  the 
organization  are  not  clearly  defined  and  described 

No  adequate  provision  for  field  supervision  and  inspection  of 
work  of  attendance  officers 

No  special  provision  made  for  specialization  of  attendance 
officers  in  coercive  discipline,  prosecution  of  court  cases, 
social  service,  etc 

No  systematic  provision  for  most  efifective  working  relations 
with  department  of  health,  state  labor  department,  public 
and  private  agencies  actually  or  potentially  cooperating 
with  the  compulsory  attendance  service 

Attendance  service  directed  at  present  to  performance  of  police 
functions,  rather  than  to  the  discovery  and  treatment  of 
deeper  causes  of  truancy 

Of  90,000  children  absent  for  at  least  one  month,  February- 
June,  1913  (30,000  absent  over  two  full  school  months),  only 
6,579  children  were  reported  by  officers  as  having  been 
truants  for  five  days  or  more  during  entire  year 

Very  large  number  of  children  by  sporadic  absence  for  trivial 
causes  lessen  their  own  chance  for  satisfactory  progress  in 
school 

Failure  to  secure  money  for  20  additional  officers  in  1912  due 
to  lack  of  competent  evidence  that  additional  officers  were 
needed  and  the  failure  to  reorganize  department  as  proposed 
by  the  associate  superintendent  in  his  1908  report 


32  Defects — Continued 

Ungraded  Classes  for  Feeble-Minded  Inadequate  in  Number 
Equipment  and  Teaching 

Fact  base:  Examination  of  46  [out  of  2,500]  children 
in  three  [owt.  of  31]  ungraded  [feeble-minded] 
classes;  of  81  [out  of  25,000]  children  in  "E" 
[overage]  classes;  of  22  [out  of  2.461]  children  in 
"D"  [working  paper  classes];  of  115  [out  of 
666,538]  children  in  regular  grades  in  five  schools; 
of  five  cases  in  one  high  school:  visits  by  the  in- 
vestigator in  person  to  125  classes  [out  of  131  with 
2.500  children]  in  95  schools;  suggestions  from 
teachers  and  principals  "wherever  possible";  appli- 
cation of  results  of  "most  extensive  study  ever 
made"  with  Binet  test  in  a  Southern  Jersey  town 
which  showed  that  2'^c  of  2,000  public  school  chil- 
dren are  feeble-minded:    Goddard  report:  23  pages 

There  were  in  1911,  15,000  feeble-minded  children  in  New 
York's  public  schools 

Some  normal  children  are  in  classes  set  aside  for  feeble-minded 

Five  high  school  children  selected  by  teacher  were  found  to 
be  feeble-minded,  because  according  to  the  teacher  "they 
were  not  allowed  to  stay  more  than  two  years  in  any  one 
grade  so  they  are  promoted  whether  they  are  fit  or  not" 

Of  46  children  examined  in  ungraded  classes,  29  were  distinct- 
ly feeble-minded,  14  probably  so 

Of  81  children  examined  in  special  "E"  (overage)  classes, 
more  than  one-third  were  distinctly  feeble-minded ;  probably 
2,500  defective  children  in  these  classes  alone 

Of  22  children  examined  in  special  "D"  classes  (preparing  for 
working  certificates)  40%  were  found  feeble-minded ;  prob- 
ably 1.000  feeble-minded  children  in  this  group  alone 

Of  115  selected  children  in  regular  grades  of  five  representative 
schools  33  were  distinctly  feeble  minded  and  30  more  were 
border  line  cases 

Probably  high  percentage  of  1,464  children  in  "C"  (non-Eng- 
lish speaking  classes)  and  of  490  children  in  classes  for 
cripples  are  feeble-minded 

Many  feeble-minded  children  who  are  crippled,  blind  or  deaf 
are  shut  out  of  public  school 

Large  numbers  of  feeble-minded  children  prol)ablv  in  schools 
not  "public" 

Nearly  all  teachers  feel  that  ungraded  classes  should  not  be  in 
regular  schools  and  that  these  children  should  be  in  institu- 
tions, but  admit  that  very  few  parents  would  allow  it 

Method  of  choosing  children  for  ungraded  classes  inadequate 
because  (1)  grade  teachers  are  not  able  to  recognize  the 
moron.  (2)  pride  of  principals  and  teachers  sometimes  pre- 
vents. (3)  physical  defects  complicate  diagnosis 

Ml  grades  of  mental  incapacity  in  same  ungraded  class;  no 
opportunity  of  grouping  according  to  capability 


Defects — Continued  2>3 

Bookwork  all  forenoon  felt  by  teachers  to  be  largely  wasted 

on  children  in  ungraded  classes 
Very  general  effort  on  part  of  teachers  to  get  some  of  these 

children  back  in  the  grades 
Teachers  of  the  grades  who  had  taken  these  children  back 

sometimes  reported  that  they  ought  not  to  have  been  sent 

back 
No  records  kept  of  progress  and  history  of  children ;  no  basis 

for  conclusions  about  methods  of  teaching 
Very  few  classes  have  any  adequate   supply  of  material   to 

work  on  ;  some  of  them,  indeed,  have  not  any  equipment 
Rooms  are  not  equipped  for  this  kind  of  teaching 
Teachers  of  ungraded  classes  have  not  had  adequate  training; 

certified  teachers  found  in  these  classes  who  are  in  no  way 

fitted  for  the  work 
Practically  impossible  to  obtain  an  adequate  supply  of  trained 

teachers 
Little  or  no  supervision  of  these  classes;  the  one  inspector  has 

131  classes  scattered  all  over  Greater  New  York 
Principals  of  schools  in  which  there  are  classes  have  no  official 

responsibility  for  them 
Of  497  elementary  schools.  402  have  no  ungraded  classes 

Efficiency  Low  in  Arithmetic 

Fact  base:  Eight  Courtis  tests  [five  with  20  examples 
each,  one  with  16,  one  19,  one  8]  applied  to  one- 
tenth  the  number  of  pupils  in  grades  4  A — 8  B,  and 
to  one  general  and  one  commercial  high  school,  in 
all,  33,350  children  in  90  classes  in  52  schools  (27,171 
records);  tests  in  speed  for  (1)  addition,  (2)  sub- 
traction, (3)  multiplication,  (4)  division,  (5)  copy- 
ing figures,  (6)  reasoning  in  simple  one-step  prob- 
lems, (7)  fundamentals  (abstract  examples  in  the 
four  operations),  and  (8)  reasoning  in  two-step 
operations,  cited  by  Prof.  Hanus  as  "illustration  of 
the  scientific  method  of  investigating  and  apprais- 
ing educational  results":   Courtis  report:   158  pages 

In  view  of  effort,  time  and  money  expended,  conditions  could 
hardly  be  worse ;  great  inefficiency  and  inaccuracy  in  speed 
and  reasoning 

Study  more  than  justifies  the  severest  criticism  of  the  effi- 
ciency of  training  in  arithmetic  afforded  by  the  public 
schools  that  has  yet  been  made  by  the  "man  on  the  street" 

Class  averages  of  one  school  were  abnormally  high  and  its 
results  rejected  altogether.  (Testimony  of  one  child  as  to 
illegitimate  preparation) 

Of  1,000  boys,  13  only  could  do  accurately  examples  like  those 
in  Test  7  (fundamentals)  at  speed  of  1.5  examples  or  better 
a  minute ;  336  could  do  accurately  one  example  a  minute ; 
773  could  do  accurately  one  example  in  1^  minutes;  8.50 
could  do  accurately  one  example  in  two  minutes 


34  Defects — Continued 

On  basis  of  one  example  per  minute  nine  boys  of  1,000  in  4th 
grade  can  quaHfy  in  speed,  none  can  quabfy  in  accuracy 

Training  in  grades  5  to  6  enables  SG^o  of  class  to  qualify  in 
speed  and  but  34%  in  accuracy 

Low  efHciency  due  to  neglect  of  difference  in  powers  and  capa- 
bilities of  individual  children 

80%  of  children  in  each  grade  could  be  replaced  by  an  equal 
number  of  children  from  the  grade  above  without  changing 
in  the  slightest  the  ability  of  the  grade  in  the  first  test 

Of  5.670  sixth  grade  children  tested  for  ability  in  the  multi- 
plication tables,  18%  had  score  lower  than  average  of  the 
4th  grade,  38%  lower  than  the  average  for  the  5th  grade, 
48%  exceeded  the  average  for  the  6th  grade,  38%  exceeded 
average  for  the  7th  grade 

Differences  among  individuals  within  a  grade  greatly  exceed 
differences  between  grade  averages 

Difference  betwen  the  grade  averages  of  any  two  6B  classes 
chosen  at  random  will  be  on  the  average  much  smaller  than 
the  difference  between  the  scores  of  two  individuals,  also 
chosen  at  random  from  either  class 

Knowledge  of  the  tables  is  not  in  itself  any  guarantee  of 
ability  to  work  examples 

In  spite  of  strenuous  and  conscientious  efforts  of  the  New 
"^"ork  teachers,  that  so  slight  an  advantage  (gain  in  speed) 
has  resulted  bears  eloquent  testimony  to  uselessness  of  at- 
tempting to  work  changes  in  children  without  a  knowledge 
of  the  factors  involved 

Careful  study  over  years  of  repeated  measurements  of  same 
individuals  fails  to  disclose  any  basis  of  classification  on 
which  to  place  scheme  of  uniform  instruction  on  different 
topics,  like  addition,  subtraction,  etc 

Test  of  50  employees  of  John  Wanamaker's  store  (average 
length  of  employment  two  years,  average  age,  19)  shows 
that  standard  required  l)v  emplover  could  be  met  bv  only 
51%  of  SB  boys  and  567o'of  8B  girls 

Comparison  of  results  in  one  general  and  one  commercial  high 
school,  shows  that  commercial  work  produces  marked  dif- 
ferences only  in  addition  and  subtraction  tests 

Boys  in  commercial  high  school  show  no  greater  development 
in  speed  of  work  than  they  would  have  done  had  they  taken 
the  general  course,  while  the  girls  show  less 

One-half  of  the  boys  and  one-third  of  the  girls  are  more  accur- 
ate than  they  would  have  been  had  they  not  taken  commer- 
cial work 

Differences  in  the  effect  of  work  in  these  two  schools  are 
slight 


Defects — Continued  35 

That  unsatisfactory  achievements  in  fundamentals  are  not 
changed  during  the  period  of  preparation  for  commercial  life 
is  not  favorable  to  the  success  of  the  work  of  the  commercial 
courses 

Tendency  of  pupils  in  part  time  classes  is  to  fall  below  average 
of  their  grades 

Girls'  classes  exceed  all  others  slightly  in  speed,  markedly  in 
accuracy 

Gross  differences  in  mental  ability  are  likely  to  arise  from 
differences  in  parentage,  social  station  and  physical  growth 

Gross  inefticiency  of  present  conditions  is  caused  by  lack  of 
exact  knowledge  of  conditions  acted  upon  and  of  effects 
produced 

In  tests  for  speed  and  accuracy  question  of  foreign  parentage 
does  not  seem  to  affect  work 

Average  child  in  New  York  City  will  be  able  to  do  abstract 
work  rapidly,  but  inaccurately ;  simple  reasoning  work 
slowly 

New  York  averages  compared  with  standard  scores  show  chil- 
dren slightly  better  in  speed  but  correspondingly  worse  in 
accuracy,  and  very  poor  in  reasoning 

General  use  of  practice  test  increases  speed  but  decreases  ac- 
curacy ;  too  much  drill  is  harmful 

Standard  Size  for  High  School  Sections  Not  Met 

Fact  base:  656  German  classes  in  20  high  schools; 
standard  of  30  pupils  per  section  set  by  associate 
superintendent  in  charge:  Ballou  report:   142  pages 

Great  variation  in  the  size  of  sections  among  (20)  different 
high  schools  and  among  different  classes  (average  32 
classes)  in  each  high  school 

All  high  schools  have  sections  with  25  or  less  pupils;  all  but 
two  have  sections  with  18  pupils  or  less 

There  are  sections  with  five,  six  and  seven  pupils 

There  are  sections  with  50,  55,  60,  65  pupils 

29%  of  656  sections  in  German  have  under  25  or  over  40  pupils 

When  standard  of  associate  superintendent  in  charge  (30  to 
40  pupils)  is  applied  to  German  sections  only  51%  come 
within  standard 

Practice  of  organizing  first  term  pupils  into  sections  of  40  or 
more  pupils  must  be  emphatically  condemned 

Redistribution  of  pupils  would  have  avoided  93%  of  first  term 
sections  with  less  than  30  pupils;  94%  of  first  term  sections 
with  over  40;  75%  of  sections  above  the  first  term  with 
less  than  30;   and  95%  of  these  sections  with  over  35 

Detailed  study  of  organization  in  three  selected  high  schools 
shows  that  in  most  cases  most  small  sections  are  result  of 
bad  distribution  by  principal ;  most  large  sections  are  un- 
necessarv  and  indefensible 


36  Defects — Continued 

Large  sections  cannot  be  defended  on  ground  that  proper 
number  of  teachers  is  lacking;  duty  of  principal  and  board 
of  superintendents  to  secure  the  teachers  needed 

No  well  organized  experiments  have  ever  been  undertaken 
to  determine  the  number  of  high  school  pupils  which  should 
constitute  a  recitation  section 


Department  Chairmen  Ineffective  as  Supervisors 

Fact  base:  Assignments  of  116  chairmen  of  depart- 
ments in  20  high  schools;  standard  of  periods  set 
by  associate  superintendent  in  charge:    Ballou  report 

In  12  large  high  schools  (with  over  1.000  pupils)  75%  of 
chairmen  are  teaching  more  periods  than  maximum  stand- 
ard (12  to  15  periods)  fixed  by  associate  superintendent  in 
charge 

In  eight  small  high  schools  (with  248-983  pupils)  86%  of 
chairmen  are  teaching  more  periods  than  the  maximum 
standard  (15  to  18  periods) 

Two  periods  a  Aveek  of  study  hall  supervision  is  averaged  by 
all  chairmen 

In  large  high  schools,  average  four  periods  a  week  (instead 
of  11  as  intended)  left  for  supervision  of  department  and 
administrative  duties  assigned  by  the  principal  (only  40% 
of  intended  time) 

In  smaller  high  schools,  one  period  only  left  for  supervision, 
etc.  (19%  of  intended  time) 

Too  little  supervision  of  classroom  instruction  because  of 
prominence  of  administrative  duties 

Clerical  work  which  might  be  done  by  highly  paid  employees 
takes  time  away  from  supervision 


High  School  Teachers  Work  More  Than  Standard  Hours 

Fact  base:  Study  of  671  teachers  in  English,  German, 
mathematics,  biology  and  history  in  all  high 
schools;  standard  set  by  associate  superintendent 
in  charge:    Ballou  report 

Number  of  periods  of  teaching  varies  from  6  to  34  in  English, 
18  to  28  in  German,  4  to  28  in  mathematics,  15  to  28  in 
biology,  7  to  25  in  history 

82%  of  teachers  are  teaching  20  to  25  periods;  15%  less  than 
20;  I've  more  than  25  periods 

32%  of  226  teachers  in  luiglish  are  teaching  more  than  estab- 
lished standard  periods  (20  to  21) 

14%  of  445  teachers  in  other  subjects  are  not  teaching  in  ac- 
^cordance  with  established  standard  (20  to  25  periods) 

75%  of  671  teachers  are  doing  an  average  of  more  than  25 
periods  of  teaching  and  study  hall  supervision 


Defects — Continued  37 

Over  50%  of  these  teachers  are  ahso  carrying  other  adminis- 
trative and  clerical  responsibilities,  including  recess  and 
corridor  assignments,  sororities,  school  publications,  ath- 
letics, supplies,  lunch  room,  bulletin  boards 

Administrative  duties  of  teachers  include  charge  of  an  official 
class  room  and  its  supplies,  records,  etc.,  requiring  an  aver- 
age of  five  hours  a  week  [based  on  study  of  six  high 
schools] 

Number  of  clerks  is  not  sufficient  [no  examination  of  work 
made] 

"It  is  absurd  to  require  teachers  to  perform  clerical  work 
which  could  be  performed  better  by  clerks  at  from  one- 
third  to  one-half  the  salary" 

"Further,  it  is  equally  absurd  to  expect  teachers  to  do  a  full 
day's  work  in  teaching  and  then  perform  administrative 
functions  after  school  hours  or  as  'odd  jobs'  " 

Over  15%  of  671  teachers  are  teaching  less  than  minimum 
standard  (20  periods)  because  of  work  other  than  teaching 

High  School  Organization  Defective 

Fact  base:  See  page  35;  Number  of  classrooms,  teach- 
ers, pupils  in  20  high  schools  and  their  annexes; 
course  of  study:    Ballou  report 

Study  of  principals'  daily  program  had  never  been  made  by 
superintendent 

Time  allotments  for  studies  in  every  course  of  study  are  hap- 
hazard 

Attempt  made  in  every  school  building  to  care  for  more  stud- 
ents than  building  was  designed  for 

Method  of  increasing  or  decreasing  number  of  teachers  does 
not  provide  teachers  where  they  are  needed,  because  data 
for  such  reorganization  are  inadequate 

Control  of  factors  affecting  organization  of  high  schools  lies 
with  department  of  education  rather  than  with  principal 

Board  of  superintendents  in  determining  curricula  has  not 
considered  (1)  relation  of  curricula  in  one  school  to  size  of 
sections,  (2)  relation  of  electives  to  cost  of  instruction.  (3) 
relation  of  daily  program  to  time  allotments  for  subjects 

In  10  high  schools  with  more  than  1,500  pupils  each,  organi- 
zation cannot  be  effective  because  (1)  it  is  impossible  for  a 
principal  to  discharge  his  duty  to  pupils,  parents,  teachers ; 
(2)  schools  are  too  large  as  administrative  units;  (3)  all 
pupils  cannot  assemble  at  one  time 

High  school  annexes  are  undesirable  temporary  expedients 
and  increase  congestion  in  main  building 

In  the  21  annexes,  including  usually  work  of  two  terms,  teach- 
ing "likely  to  be  inferior" ;  teachers  change  often  and  do  a 
relatively  larger  amount  of  teaching  than  teachers  in  main 


27S30( 


Lt 


38  Defects — Continued 

building;  equipment  usually  not  as  good;  supervision  not 
as  effective;  classes  larger;  conditions  generally  militate 
against  successful  work 

Small  rooms,  never  intended  for  classroom  purposes,  are  be- 
ing used  in  high  schools  which  means  expensive  instruction 

Large  rooms  and  consequently  large  sections  due  to  con- 
gested conditions  often  mean  inetTective  instruction 

False  economy  to  force  the  use  of  inadequate  classrooms  by 
not  providing  classrooms  of  the  proper  size 

In  manv  schools  not  enough  teachers  to  maintain  standard 
size  of  section  and  standard  week's  work  for  a  teacher 


Wrong  Method  Used  in  Estimating  Teachers  Needed  in 
High  School 

Fact  base:  Board  of  education  blank  used  in  1911; 
figures  given  by  principals,  1911;  annual  report  of 
city  superintendent:    Ballou  report 

Method  used  to  appoint  teachers  is  inadequate  as  based  on 
average  number  of  pupils  per  teacher  in  school  as  a  whole 
and  on  average  number  of  pupils  per  teacher  by  depart- 
ments in  a  school 

Blank  unsatisfactory,  lacks  continuity  and  coherence.  No 
data  covering  size  of  section,  amount  of  work  in  each  sub- 
ject or  amount  of  work  teachers  are  doing 

Data  given  covers  only  three  year  period,  insufficient  to  avoid 
using  temporary  or  exceptional  conditions  as  a  base 

"Average  number  of  pupils  per  teacher"  is  an  unnecessary 
and  misleading  basis  because  such  averages  (1)  mean  noth- 
ing in  system  of  general  and  special  schools  with  from  200 
to  4.000  pupils;  (2)  vary  from  term  to  term;  (3)  are  based 
on  gross  register  which  includes  many  pupils  (sometimes 
400)  who  never  attended  school,  and  many  assistants,  lib- 
rary and  clerical,  who  do  no  teaching 

Dates  in  various  tables  do  not  correspond 

High    School    Course    of    Study    "Unwisely    and    Unjustly 

Inflexible" 

Fact  base:  New  York  course  of  study  issued  in  1908; 
actual  programs;  courses  of  study  from  other  cities: 
Davis  report:   76  pages 

Excessive  imiformity  of  course  of  study  constitutes  most  seri- 
ous defect  and  gravest  weakness  of  administration  of  prog- 
ram of  sttidies 

Courses  and  schools  do  not  satisfactorily  meet  needs  of  either 
those  who  have  decided  on  future  careers  or  those  who  have 
not 


Defects — Continued  39 

General  course  particularly  weak  in  industrial  work;  no 
courses  whatever  for  boys,  and  only  single  elective  course 
in  cooking  for  girls 
Compared  to  courses  of  study  of  ten  representative  cities, 
Boston,  Chicago,  Cincinnati,  Milwaukee,  Cleveland,  Detroit, 
Indianapolis,  Los  Angeles,  Newark  and  St.  Louis,  New 
York's  general  course  varies  as  follows: 

1 — Scope  is  decidedly  narrow,  especially  in  newer  and  more 
practical  subjects  and  differentiated  courses  in  older, 
conventional  subjects 
2 — Some  of  the  subjects  provided  in  other  cities  and  not 
offered  in  New  York  are:  debating,  dramatics,  com- 
merce and  industrial  history,  economic  geography, 
astronomy,   geology,   minerology,   analytical   geom- 
etry,   calculus,    natural    history,    history    of   music, 
musical  composition  and  harmony,  history  of  art  and 
architecture,  psychology,  ethics,  home  sanitation  and 
nursing,  household  management,  laundry,  dietetics, 
metal  working,  pottery  making  and  military  drill 
3 — Offering  in  New  York  is  pursued  with  less  intensive- 
ness  than   is  the  offering  elsewhere   in   respect   to 
English,    history,    civics,    economics,    mathematics, 
natural  science,  commercial  subjects,  industrial  sub- 
jects and  music 
4 — Course  in  New  York  is  more  rigidly  administered  than 
in    other    ten    cities,    measured    by    the    70%    pre- 
scribed work  of  total  amount  required  for  gradua- 
tion ;  i.e.,  general  course  administered  with  less  re- 
gard to  special  interests  and  aptitudes  of  students 
than  in  any  city  save  St.  Louis 
5 — No  other  city  prescribes  entire  course  for  first  year 
students 
Three  years'  prescription  of  a  foreign  language  and  two  years' 
prescription    in    mathematics    for    every    pupil    seeking   to 
graduate  from  the  general  course  in  New  York  City  are 
indefensible 
As  actually  administered,  the  general  course  is  decidedly  more 

narrow  than  printed  announcements  indicate 
Opportunities  for  pupils  to  elect  work  that  is  adapted  to  their 
special  needs  are  restricted  to  an  amount  considerably  less 
than   small  maximum  which  printed  course  of  study  sets 
forth 
Compared  to  provision  for  special  or  technical  courses  in  the 
same  ten  cities,  New  York's  special  courses  are  seen  to  be 
far  from  abreast  of  the  times,  and  inadequate  to  meet  de- 
mand of  complex  business  and  social  interest 
High   school   principals   assert   that   long  distances   between 
high    schools   impose    a   prohibitive   expense   of   time   and 
money  on  many  pupils 


40  Defects — Continued 

Commercial  Courses  Ineffective 

Fact  base:  Analysis  of  commercial  courses,  teaching 
assignments,  etc,  in  13  high  schools,  elective  courses 
in  11  general  high  schools  and  two  exclusive  special 
high  schools;  visits,  conferences  with  principals: 
Thompson  report:   44  pages 

Open  question  whether  or  not  general  school  is  not  giving  at 
present  more  appropriate  training  for  the  major  l)usiness 
needs 

Loss  of  membership  from  commercial  courses  is  from  5  to 
107o  higher  than  for  high  schools  as  a  whole 

Reasons  given  by  principals  are  "attractive  openings  before 
course  is  finished" ;  "many  elect  commercial  courses  who 
do  not  expect  to  remain  long,"  etc 

Number  graduating  in  1911  shows  two  girls  for  every  boy 

Usual  testimony  of  principals  of  general  high  schools  is  that 
commercial  pupils  constitute  less  desirable  element  of  the 
scliool ;  because  commercial  education  does  not  offer  op])or- 
tunities  in  energizing  occupations;  social  prejudice  against 
applied  education 

No  carefully  organized  efTort  to  give  vocational  guidance  in 
elementary  schools  so  that  pupils  may  select  course  most 
suited 

Of  96  teachers  in  the  Commercial  High  School,  78  came  from 
lists  designed  to  furnisli  teachers  for  academic  high  schools; 
18  are  so-called  commercial  teachers 

No  provision  to  secure  teachers  of  commercial  English,  com- 
mercial modern  languages,  economics  or  business  organiza- 
tion 

Not  surprising  to  find  in  special  schools  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  teachers  who  have  no  other  sympathies  and  use  no 
other  methods  except  those  of  an  academic  high  school 

Teaching  assignments  of  commercial  teachers  show  propor- 
tionately larger  number  of  teaching  periods  than  the  average 
for  other  courses 

Standardizing  by  regents'  examinations  tends  to  produce  a 
certain  degree  of  uniformity  in  subject  matter  and  achieve- 
ment and  to  perpetuate  standards  wliich  arc  "artificial,  not 
real" 

Natural  inclination  of  teachers  is  to  disregard  real  test  in  l)usi- 
ness  world  and  emphasize  regents'  tests 

Commercial  students  get  but  little  related  academic  work 

Practice  of  having  commercial  museum  has  hardly  begun 

Jn  the  main,  in  all  schools,  facility  in  business  (clerical)  tech- 
nique is  the  major  aim 
Evidence  of  business  world  is  against  assumption  that  clerical 
training  is  the  main  objective  of  commercial  education  since 
of  50  largest  commercial  houses  in  New  York  answering 
questions  about  desirable  preparation  for  employees,  9  to  1 


Defects — Continued  41 

chose  ''fundamental  principles  of  business"  over  clerical 
arts 

Of  66,617  boys  and  65,191  girls  from  14  to  16  years  tabulated 
by  the  permanent  census  board  there  were  as  stenog"- 
raphers  586  boys  and  3,244  girls;  as  bookkeepers  824  boys 
and  1,364  girls;  i.  e.,  preponderance  of  girls  in  clerical 
positions 

Studies  of  business  organizations  made  by  the  New  York  and 
Boston  Chambers  of  Commerce  show  that  (1)  only  13  to 
15%  of  employees  are  engaged  in  clerical  work;  and  that 
(2)  transfer  from  clerical  department  to  other  departments 
is  unusual 

In  Commercial  High  School,  course  of  study  includes  sub- 
jects not  justified  for  any  reason  as  requirements;  such  as 
music,  drawing,  geometry 

No  evidence  that  stenography  should  be  a  requirement  for 
boys  in  commercial  high  school 

Course  of  study  is  too  choppy;  too  many  subjects  and  too 
few  periods  are  assigned  to  each  subject 

New  York  City's  commercial  courses  are  academic  rather  than 
vocational ;  i.  e.,  general  subjects  are  in  most  cases  not  re- 
lated to  the  vocation ;  specific  vocational  subjects  cover 
only  a  part  of  the  vocation  and  the  lesser  part  at  that 

Misconception  of  aim  of  commercial  education  is  not  confined 
to  New  York  but  is  country-wide 

In  evening  schools,  commercial  work  is  almost  wholly  clerical 
and  without  most  of  the  liberal  features  found  in  the  day 
school  course 

Trade  Training  Inadequate 

Fact  base:  Visits  to  Manhattan  Trade,  Boys'  Trade 
and  Parental  Schools;  reports  of  superintendent; 
curriculum:    Schneider  report:    56  pages 

Considering  small  per  cent  reached  by  these  schools,  problem 
of  industrial  education  is  in  fact  not  being  met  at  all 

Majority  of  children  who  are  of  an  age  to  acquire  industrial 
training  are  not  in  school 

Average  daily  attendance  shows: 

Boys'  Vocational  School 266 

Girls'  Vocational  School 360 

All  elementary  schools 586,673 

All  high  schools 30,252 

All  night  elementary  schools 27,725 

All  night  high  schools 9,343 

Problem  is  probably  more  vital,  more  complex  and  more  press- 
ing in  New  York  than  in  any  other  city 

Number  in  Boys'  School,  266,  "almost  negligible  in  the  sum 
total  of  boys  who  go  to  work  before  16";  35,478  working 
certificates  granted  during  first  10  months  of  1911 


42  Defects — Continued 

Present  system  of  night  and  trade  schools  is  too  restricted  and 
doe?  not  meet  the  needs  of  future  and  present  workers 

Too  much  stress  is  phiccd  upon  manual  skill  in  one  particular 
trade  or  one  particular  branch  of  a  trade 

Day  high  schools  witli  full  manual  training  courses  do  not 
pretend  to  be  industrial  schools 

Ability  of  trade  schools  for  energizing  occupations  to  turn 
out  skilled  worker  has  been  seriously  questioned 

New  York  lacks  system  of  trade  education  accompanying 
gainful  employment  as  demonstrated  (1)  at  Fitchburg  by 
four  years  coordinated  half  time  work  where  average  stu- 
dent can  acquire  an  energizing  trade  and  do  nearly  as  much 
school  work  as  that  required  by  high  school,  in  drafting 
rooms,  chemical  shops  and  laboratories,  machine  and  pattern 
shops,  building  trades,  boiler  shops,  outdoor  work  of  rail- 
roads, track,  signal  bridges;  (2)  by  various  cooperative  plans 
(P"'itchburg,  Mass.,  Solvay,  N.  Y.,  Lewis  Institute,  Chicago) 
where  course  is  found  commercially  profitable  to  manu- 
facturer and  student  and  economical  to  school;  (3)  by  ex- 
perience of  four  years  here  also,  showing  that  no  confusion 
or  inconvenience  caused  to  shop  organization  ;  (4)  by  contin- 
uation schools  in  Cincinnati  which  have  proved  that  worker 
in  energizing  trades  who  goes  to  school  one  half  day  a  week 
(on  pay)  is  a  better  producer  per  w^eek  than  if  he  does  not 
go;  (3)  by  cooperative  courses  for  department  store  em- 
ployees from  8  to  10  o'clock  and  in  the  evenings  at  the  stores 
to  teach  psychology  of  salesmanship  and  give  fairly  expert 
knowledge  of  things  they  are  selling 

Night  Schools  Not  Fit  for  Enervated  Worker 
Fact    base:      Report     of    district    superintendent    in 
charge,   and   visits   to   classes    [number   not   told] : 
Schneider  report 

"The  classes  visited,  wdiich  exist  because  of  the  compulsory 
law,  inspired  no  feeling  but  pity  for  the  children ;  some  of 
the  pupils  were  asleep,  and  all  but  a  few  of  them  looked 
fagged  out" 

In  1910,  338  pupils  attended  night  high  school  every  evening 
(120  evenings)  ;  15,640  attended  less  than  60  evenings;  2,234 
pupils  attended  elementary  night  school  every  evening  (90)  ; 
33,393  attended  less  than  60  evenings  but  more  than  one 
week  and  11,937  attended  one  week  or  less 

Standardization  of  courses  without  an  analysis  of  daily  w'ork 
of  students  had  had  much  to  do  with  the  losses  and  small 
attendance 

It  is  not  obvious  that  charging  a  fee  for  night  school  delin- 
quents woulfl  have  any  good  effect 

In  trade  sulijects  taught  in  evening  trade  schools,  tendency 
is  to  provide  for  energized  workers  only,  neglecting  the  very 
important  problem  of  the  enervated  workers 


Defects — Continued  43 

Method  of  Running  Buildings  Extravagant  and  Inefficient 

Fact  base:  Study  of  heating,  ventilation,  power,  fire 
protection,  clerical  work,  designing, lighting,  plumb- 
ing, cleaning,  use  of  buildings,  care  of  apparatus, 
supervision,  operation  in  49  elementary  and  two 
high  schools:   Armstrong  report:   68  pages 

Boiler  plants  are  not  concentrated  even  in  the  same  building 

Some  schools  have  as  high  as  six  separate  plants  in  use 

Extremely  wasteful  condition  in  almost  all  of  the  schools  in 
oldest  form  of  coal  burning  appliances,  "natural  draft," 
which  causes  loss  of  more  than  two-thirds  of  heat  liberated 

Proportionate  amount  of  grate  surface  is  too  large,  consuming 
only  3  lbs.  of  coal  per  sq.  ft.  instead  of  an  accepted  standard 
of  17  to  22  pounds  per  sq.  ft.  per  hour 

Present  drinking  arrangements  are  unsuitable  and  unsanitary 

Oil  used  costs  twice  as  much  as  oil  used  by  other  departments 

No  uniformity  as  to  temperature  for  hot  water 

Hot  water  tank  in  one  building  exploded 

In  many  schools  windows  so  loosely  fitted  that  much  heat  is 
lost  and  drafts  prevail 

Heating  systems  in  general  are  poorly  designed 

Separate  return  lines  to  basement  from  each  radiator  are 
wasteful  and  expensive 

Present  systems  of  ventilation  are  in  most  instances  so  faulty 
and  antiquated  as  to  be  a  direct  menace  to  pupils  and 
teachers 

In  only  one  building  visited  by  us  are  modern  methods  in  use 

Systems  used  are  forcing  dirty  air  into  classrooms,  and  lack 
proper  humidfying  apparatus 

Present  methods  of  cleaning  are  antiquated  and  unhygienic 

Impossible  by  present  sweeping  methods  to  remove  dirt  and 
dust  from  floors,  walls,  ceilings  and  their  crevices 

Public  school  buildings  are  conspicuous  by  lack  of  fire  pro- 
tection 

None  conform  to  fire  regulations 

Enclosed  stairways  are  merely  exits,  not  fire  preventions 

Fireproof  buildings  are  made  entirely  unsafe  by  quantities 
of  inflammable  material  inside 

Extravagance  of  $^5,000  a  year  for  electricity  because  con- 
tracted and  paid  for  by  another  department 

Schools  very  much  over-inspected 

Confusion  of  authority  and  lack  of  coordination  between  dif- 
ferent divisions  of  department  of  inspection 

Standard  for  buildings  does  not  meet  requirements  for  fire- 
proofing  or  ventilation 

Method  of  issuing  "book  of  rules"  for  janitors  is  not  efficient 
as  each  plant  differs 

Seating  capacity  of  schools  is  by  no  means  utilized  to  its 
fullest  extent 


44  Defects — Continued 

Seating  capacity  is  fully  adequate  to  provide  proper  and  ade- 
quate accommodations  for  all  children  of  school  age  with- 
out crowding  or  erection  of  single  additional  building  at  this 
time,  if  properly  used 

Unnecessary  Loss  of  Time  and  Money  in  Building 

Fact  base:  Study  of  construction  of  20  public  schools 
from  selection  of  site  to  completion;  records  and 
correspondence  of  board  of  education,  board  of 
estimate,  architectural  department,  finance  depart- 
ment, etc:    Armstrong  report:    131  pages 

Schools  have  required  in  some  cases  eight  to  ten  years  for 
completion  after  needs  became  apparent,  during  which  time 
the  pupils  would  have  outgrown  their  school  days 

Selection  of  sites  not  founded  on  scientific  basis;  location 
of  site  is  determined  by  local  request  and  speculation  rather 
than  by  scientific  census  calculation  assisted  by  local  surveys 

Review  of  plans  by  city  departments  entailed  an  average  of 
four  and  a  half  months,  time  wholly  chargeal)le  to  necessity 
of  outside  approval 

Unnecessary  loss  of  time  on  departmental  approval  of  work 
not  pertaining  to  that  department,  and  in  useless  formalities 
between  departments  due  to  requirements  of  each  depart- 
ment 

Time  is  lost  in  design,  in  approval  of  contract  and  in  con- 
struction l)ecause  the  general  construction,  heating,  ventilat- 
ing, pluml)ing,  drainage,  electrical  and  furniture  plans  and 
specifications  are  submitted  to  various  city  departments 
separately  through  long  intervals  of  time  instead  of  simul- 
taneously 

Much  time  and  financial  loss  is  occasioned  by  too  frequent 
use  of  new  designs  for  school  buildings 

Delays  and  loss  of  efficiency  because  of  unscientific  mechani- 
cal designs 

Best  grade  of  work  not  secured  and  financial  loss  results  from 
apparent  necessity  of  selecting  the  lowest  bidder,  practically 
regardless  of  experience  or  integrity 

Extra  building  construction,  expense  and  delays  are  caused  b)' 
lack  of  economy  in  use  of  present  buildings 

Public  school  buildings  require  from  50  to  400%  more  time 
for  construction  than  buildings  presenting  equal  natural 
difficulties  but  privately  owned  and  constructed 

Procedure  for  site  selection  and  acquisition  is  complicated 
through  reference  of  request  by  local  school  board,  district 
superintendent,  principals,  citizens,  to  board  of  education's 
committees  on  sites  and  buildings,  city  and  associate  superin- 
tendents, permanent  census  board,  committee  on  finance; 
to  board  of  estimate's  budget  committee  and  the  board  it- 
self; to  board  of  aldermen,  their  committee  on  finance,  and 
finally  back  to  the  board  of  education 


Defects — Continued  45 

Fact  that  there  are  approximately  90,000  pupils  on  part  time 

is  due  in  a  large  measure  to  erroneous  method  of  locating 

sites 
Board  of  education  has  been  careless  in  conserving  city  funds 

and  exhibited  lamentable  lack  of  foresight  in  engineering 

matters 
Average  cost  of  school  buildings  per  cubic  foot  is  23  cents  in 

New  York,  14  cents  in  Chicago,  14  cents  in  Cleveland.  This 

shows   comparatively   high   expenditure   for   schools   under 

present  system  of  design 
Waste  places  suitable  for  instruction  are  unused 

Serious  Degree  of  Overheating  in  Some  Schools 

Fact  base:  Careful  physical,  chemical  and  bacteri- 
ological air  study  of  10  typical  schools  from  Dec. 
2,  1912,  to  March  15,  1913;  subsequent  examination 
of  22  other  schools  (out  of  500  schools);  4  differ- 
ent night  schools  visited:  Baskerville-Winslow  re- 
port:  200  pages 

Overheating  and  unsatisfactory  ventilation  due  fundamentally 
to  absence  of  skilled  and  careful  operation 

Atmospheric  conditions  in  night  schools  found  unsatisfactory 
as  to  overheating  and  air  stagnation 

Conditions  aggravated  in  some  instances  by  burning  of  gas 
light 

Relative  humidity  is  low:  ranges  between  25  and  50%  of 
saturation  and  rises  above  50%  in  only  lO^o  of  records 

Certain  schools  show  distinctly  bad  results  indicating  insuf- 
ficient air  supply 

Certain  schools  show  extravagant  variations  of  temperature 
with  gross  overheating 

In  one-sixth  of  rooms  studied  distinctly  bad  conditions  found 
in  temperature  due  to  careless  operation  by  janitors  or  in- 
terference with  janitors  by  teachers 


RECOMMENDATIONS  CLEARLY  REQUIRING  ADDI- 
TIONAL MONEY 

As  to  Continuous  Investigation  (lilliott) 

Estal)lish  a  bureau  of  investigation  and  appraisal  as  an  in- 
tegral part  of  the  system  to  serve  as  the  central  agency 
for  gathering  and  interpreting  statistical  data,  and  for 
making  such  investigations  as  are  necessary 

As  to  Superintendents  (Elliott) 

Establish  a  supervisory  council  including  city  superintend- 
ent, all  district  superintendents,  selected  directors,  prin- 
cipals of  elementary,  high  and  training  schools,  repre- 
sentatives of  teachers  in  different  grades  and  schools;  to 
possess  general  powers  of  initiation  and  direction  of  all 
matters  relating  to  aims,  means  and  method  of  instruction 

As  to  Special  Branches  (Elliott) 

Appoint  additional  assistant  directors  of  kindergartens 

As  to  Discipline  (McMurry) 

Organize  in  certain  schools,  special  classes  for  persistently 
troublesome  children  in  which  corporal  punishment  under 
careful  restrictions  will  be  allowed 
Increase  the  number  of  parental  and  disciplinary  schools 

As  to  Supervision  by  Principals  (Mc]\Iurry) 

Assign  clerical  and  routine  duties  to  minor  officials  so  that 
principal  has  little  responsibility  in  regard  to  them 

As  to  Non-Promotion  (Bachman) 

Distribute  poster  in  several  languages  emphasizing  im- 
portance of  beginning  school  on  time 

Provide  "C"  classes  for  all  pupils,  at  least  in  lA  grade,  un- 
able to  use  English  language 

As  to  Ungraded  Classes  for  Feeble-Minded  (Goddard) 

Enlarge  radically  work  of  ungraded  classes 

Greatly  increase  expenditures 

Equip  classes  promptly  and  adequately 

Appoint  separate  superintendent  of  schools  for  feeble-mind- 
ed, four  additional  associate  inspectors;  five  examiners, 
psychologists  and  physicians,  to  discover  and  classify  de- 
fective children 

Segregate  ungraded  classes  in  special  schools  as  fast  as 
possible,  free  from  rules  and  regulations  of  regular  schools 

Establish  as  rapidly  as  possil^le  the  right  kind  of  training 
schools  for  teachers  of  defectives 

Substantially  increase  bonus  now  paid  to  teachers  of  de- 
fectives 

Appoint  a  number  of  special  assistants  to  follow  up  history 
of  defective,  feeble-minded  and  crippled  children  after 
they  leave  special  and  ungraded  classes 

46 


Recommendations — Continued  A7 

Test  all  repeaters  and  overag-e  pupils  in  special  classes  by 
Binet-Simon  scale  in  hands  of  experts 

As  to  High  School  Organization  and  Administration  (Ballou) 

Employ  enough  teachers  to  keep  sections  reasonably  within 
standard  of  28  to  35  pupils 

Relieve  chairmen  as  far  as  possible  from  all  purely  clerical 
work 

Furnish  each  principal  with  a  sufficient  number  of  compe- 
tent clerks  to  perform  the  clerical  work 

Erect  no  high  school  to  accommodate  more  than  1500  stu- 
dents, the  satisfactory  size,  educationally  and  economically 

Establish  types  of  specialized  high  schools  throughout  the 
city  as  a  basis  for  studying  their  effectiveness 

Build  high  schools  to  take  the  place  of  annexes  in  various 
parts  of  the  city 

Limit  seating  capacity  of  classrooms  to  maximum  standard 
size  of  section 

As  to  High  School  Course  of  Study  (Davis) 

Introduce  manual  training  for  boys  into  first  and  second 
years  of  general  curriculum  of  every  school,  one  year 
prescribed  for  graduation 

Make  two  years'  offering  in  all  general  high  schools  of  do- 
mestic science  and  applied  art  for  girls,  one  year  required 
for  graduation 

Add  other  general  courses :  introductory  social  science 
(municipal  activities,  civic  and  vocational  guidance) ; 
fine  arts,  additional  courses  in  commercial  work,  English, 
science  and  music;  specialized  and  general  "appreciation" 
courses  in  science,  mathematics,  history  and  English 
w'henever  interests  of  pupils  make  them  desirable 

Make  special  courses  more  available  by  incorporating  (1) 
additional  special  or  technical  courses  parallel  to  the  gen- 
eral course  in  the  general  high  schools ;  (2)  elementary 
courses  in  semi-technical  work  as  electives  in  the  general 
course 

Issue  a  New  York  City  high  school  diploma  as  well  as  the 
regents'  hig-h  school  diploma 

Give  serious  consideration  to  possible  plan  of  defraying  ex- 
penses of  transportation  of  those  pupils  who  are  beyond 
walking  distance  or  cannot  afford  car  fare 

As  to  Commercial  Education  (Thompson) 

Begin  at  once  cooperative  plans  between  commercial  schools 

and  business  houses 
Appoint    temporary     special    commission     of    commercial 
teachers  and  business  experts  to  examine  business  con- 
ditions in  relation  to  commercial  education 


48  Recommendations — Coitinncd 

Appoint  a  supervisor  of  commercial  work  for  all  g;rades 
Segregate  sexes  for  purposes  of  effective  commercial  edu- 
cation and  differentiate  training  according  to  aptitudes  of 
each 
Appoint  special  teachers,  "coordinators,"  as  field  agents  for 
commercial  schools 

As  to  Trade  Training  (Schneider) 

Broaden  curricula  of  present  vocational  schools  to  embrace 

a  larger  number  of  types  of  occupation 
Establish  (for  children  who  must  or  want  to  work  or  are 
tired  of  school)  more  prevocational  schools  like  Parental 
School,  with  most  energizing  and  diversified  types  of 
work  possible 
Inaugurate  to  a  limited  extent  cooperative  system  of  educa- 
tion accompanying  gainful  employment  whose  elements 
shall  be 

1 — Combination  of.  manual  work  in  commercial  shops 
with    school   work,   usually   equal   parts   of   each, 
alternating 
2 — Agreement    between    group    of    manufacturers    and 

school  system 
3 — School  course  devised  by  school  authorities 
-1 — Apprentice  courses  in  shops  approved  by  school  au- 
thorities 
5 — Apprentices  paid  for  their  work 
6 — Coordinators  to  link  work  of  shop  with  school  in- 
struction 
7 — Duration  of  course  determined  by  time  required  for 
thorough   apprenticeship  plus  necessary  coordin- 
ated schooling 
8 — Trial  of  two  months  to  be  sure  candidate  likes  the 
trade 
Establish    (for   children   forced   to   go   to   work   when   law 
permits)    day   continuation    schools   for  all   trades,   with 
underlying    science    for    highly    energizing    trades,    and 
lively,   interesting   courses    for   more    enervating   trades, 
"brilliant  and  healthful  pleasure  courses" 
Study  carefully  occupations  into  which  children  go  in  order 

to  "wisely  devise"  continuation  courses 
Enlarge  the  Parental  School  so  that  children  sent  there  may 

remain  longer  than  seven  months 
Make  comprehensive  survey  showing  (1)  number  of  boys 
and  girls  in  different  occupations;  (2)  whether  work  is 
energizing,  enervating,  ju^'enile  only,  seasonal  (3)  vo- 
cational statistics  on  wages,  home  conditions,  reasons  for 
leaving  school,  etc 

As  to  Handling  of  Correspondence  (Averill) 

I'-stablish  a  central  bureau  of  information  at  the  hall  of  the 
board  of  education 


Recommendations — Continued  49 

As  to  Construction  and  Care  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Centralize  wherever  possible  the  separate  steam  plants  in 

one  building-  or  in  adjacent  buildings 
Install  automatic  elevators  in  all  schools  having  more  tlian 

three  stories 
Install  suitable  number  of  pedal  operating  drinking  foun- 
tains at  earliest  possible  moment 
Install  mixing  valves  to  regulate  hot  water  temperature  with 

115°  as  maximum 
Tighten  windows  where  necessary 
Install   good,   economical   and   modern    system  of   vacuum 

heating 
Extend  temperature  control  system  to  all  schools  heated  by 

steam 
Employ  modern  sanitary  vacuum  cleaning  process 
Provide  all  schools  immediately  with  automatic  sprinklers, 

standpipes,  fire  pumps  and  automatic  alarms 
Replace  all  wooden  stairways  with  steel 
Install  sanitary  and  fireproof  furniture 
Employ  competent  instructors  to  teach  janitors  how  to  get 

best  service  out  of  their  plants 

RECOMMENDATIONS  INTENDED  TO  SAVE  MONEY 

As  to  Special  Branches  (Elliott) 

Eliminate  special  teachers  in  certain  subjects  (music,  draw- 
ing, physical  training)  by  requiring  competency  on  part 
of  regular  teachers 

As  to  Elementary  Course  of  Study  (McMurry) 

Omit  the  teaching  of  (1)  considerable  part  of  arithmetic 
course,  (2)  technical  grammar  and  English  history  as 
separate  subjects 

As  to  Non-Promotion  (Bachman) 

Consider  seriously  whether,  if  segregated  into  classes  of 
standard  size  with  adapted  course  of  study,  many  overage 
children  cannot  be  provided  for  without  incurring  in- 
crease of  50%  for  special  "E"  classes 

As  to  Intermediate  Schools  (Bachman) 

Establish  intermediate  schools  wherever  conditions  are 
favorable  if  present  findings  are  substantiated  by  further 
investigation 

As  to  Ungraded  Classes  for  the  Feeble-Minded  (Goddard) 
Use   institutions    for   feeble-minded   as   model    schools   for 
teachers  taking  training  in  this  line  of  work 

As  to  High  School  Organization  and  Administration  (Ballou) 

Study    program    making   by   principals    to  reduce  number  of 
unnecessary  oversized  and  undersized  classes 


50  Recommendations — Continued 

Erect  specialized  type  with  single  curriculum  as  more  effec- 
tive and  economical  for  New  York  City 

Provide  study  halls  to  accommodate  125  or  150  pupils  and 
thus  economize  on  time  of  supervising 

As  to  Trade  Training  (Schneider) 

Abolish  elementary  night  schools  now  in  operation  under 
compulsory  education  law 

As  to  Handling  of  Correspondence  (Averill) 

Institute  a  system  of  blank  forms  to  eliminate  or  diminish 
much  of  the  work  now  done  by  stenographers  and  type- 
writer copyists 
Remove  the  so-called  "city  superintendent's  file"  to  a  cen- 
tral room,  thereby  dispensing  with  the  many  individual 
files  that  now  duplicate  clerical  work  and  entail  the  mis- 
placement of  documents 

As  to  Construction  and  Care  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Install    controlled   draft    system   and   proper   grate   bars   to 

prevent  loss  of  heat,  and  burn  smaller  coal 
Reduce  proportionate  amount  of  grate  surface 
Install  recording  instruments  and  weighing  apparatus 
Have  engineers  keep  accurate  records  of  weight  of  coal  and 

ashes,   steam   and   electric  production   and   consumption, 

duplicates  sent  periodically  to  school  board 
Purchase  oil  under  proper  specification,  thus  saving  50% 
Change  large  per  cent,  of  coal  to  buckwheat  No.  3  and  save 

$205,000  annually  bv  installing  apparatus  costing  from 

S2500  to  $3000  per  school  building 
Take  advantage  of  wholesale  rates  to  reduce  light  and  power 

bill  $95,470.41  a  year 
Install  simple  form  of  isolated  plant  if  sufficiently  low  price 

cannot  be  obtained  from  Edison  Co. 
Reduce   inspection    force   60%    with    pro    rata    increase   of 

efficiency 
Janitor-engineer  should  be  competent  to  report  all  repairs 

he  cannot  himself  remedy 
Save  annually  $630,922.41  by 

Changes  in  heating  plants $350,000.00 

Reorganized   inspection    142.527.00 

Wholesale  electricity 95.470.41 

Use  of  modern  lamps 42,925.00 

RECOMMENDATIONS    PER    SE    NEITHER    ADDING 
NOR   SAVING   MONEY 

As  to  Examiners  (Elliott) 

Arrange  service  on  Ijoard  so  as  to  permit  each  member  to 
devote  every  fourth  year  to  supervisory  or  other  special 
duty  in  the  school  system 


Recommendations — Continued  51 

Take  steps  to  secure  the  reading  and  rating  of  written  ex- 
aminations by  persons  not  immediately  connected  with 
scliool  system 

As  to  Method  of  Rating  (Elliott) 

Require  reports  on  teachers  applying  for  renewal  of  license 
to  furnish  detailed,  positive  evidence  in  support  of  re- 
newal, including  reports  by  principals  showing  number 
and  duration  of  visits  to  classes,  variety  of  work  inspected 

Base  approval  of  first  year  service  entirely  on  principal's 
report ;  base  second  renewal  on  careful  examination  by 
district  superintendent;  final  renewal  on  inspection  by  in- 
dependent visitor;  eliminate  recommendation  of  division 
superintendent 

As  to  Superintendents  (Elliott) 

Secure  wider  responsibility  and  participation  of  members 
of  teaching  and  supervisory  staff  in  making  and  oversee- 
ing educational  policies 

As  to  District  Superintendents  (Elliott) 

Transfer  many  of  their  supervisory  responsibilities  to  prin- 
cipals of  schools 

Provide  for  their  larger  participation  in  the  making  of  edu- 
cational policies 

As  to  Special  Branches  (Elliott) 

Make  elementary  school  principals  responsible  for  super- 
vision of  kindergartens  to  same  degree  as  for  other  classes 

As  to  Principals  (Elliott) 

Place  a  premium  on  supervisory  capacity  by  providing 
freedom  of  action  to  every  principal  in  accordance  with 
his  competency,  in  order  to  increase  number  of  (a)  those 
competent  to  act  as  supervisors  and  to  make  a  conscious 
effort  to  subordinate  routine ;  in  contrast  to  (b)  those  con- 
tent to  confine  their  activities  to  mechanics  of  school 
operation 

As  to  Elementary  Teachers  (McMurry) 

Fix  autliority  of  class  room  teacher  more  definitely 
Print  well  defined  plan  guaranteeing  freedom  to  teachers 
Discover   reasons    and    remedy    for    present    dissatisfaction 
among  teachers 

As  to  Discipline  (McMurry) 

Simplify  mode  of  commitment  to  parental  and  disciplinary 
schools 

As  to  Elementary  Course  of  Study  (McMurry) 

Rearrange  whole  curriculum  to  establish  fuller  correlation 
among  studies 


52  Recommendations — Continued 

Include  in  syllabi  statements  of  working  aims  and  princi- 
ples of  instruction,  and  establish  impossibility  of  one  fixed 
and  best  method  of  teaching  details 

Vary  curriculum  for  particular  children  to  whom  it  is  to  be 
taught 

Plan  through  principal  and  teachers  a  curriculum  for  each 
type  of  environment,  to  be  adopted  or  modified  by  prin- 
cipals and  teachers  in  neighboring  schools 

As  to  Spelling  (McMurry) 

See  that  teachers  make  grade  lists  of  words  in  "active 
vocabulary"  of  pupils,  class  lists  and  personal  lists 

As  to  Arithmetic  (McMurry) 

Emphasize  fundamentals  during  first  six  years,  then  their 
application  in  connection  with  other  subjects 

As  to  Music  (McMurry) 

List  appropriate  classic  selections  for  grades  and  school 
as  whole ;  subordinate  technical  knowledge  to  school  sing- 
ing; pay  much  more  attention  to  individual  attainment 
instead  of  concert  work;  outline  more  definite  require- 
ments for  each  grade  as  to  application  and  scholarship; 
take  more  care  in  choice  of  selections ;  establish  good 
standards  of  taste 

As  to  Nature  Study  (Mc]\Iurry) 

Reorganize  course  completely;  select  subject  matter  with 
reference  primarily  to  pupils'  interest;  group  studies  to 
bring  out  human  interest  in  larger  problems;  suggest 
regular  nature  study  for  grade  6;  make  required  work 
very  small,  leaving  most  to  selection  of  teachers 

As  to  Reading  (Mc]\Iurry) 

Place  greater  emphasis  on  silent  reading  in  literature 

As  to  Supervision  by  Principals  (McMurry) 

Classify  principals'  duties  so  that  definite  understanding 
is  reached  that  principal  shall  identify  himself  primarily 
with  duties  requiring  the  technical  ability  of  the  educa- 
tional specialist 

^lake  principals  responsible  for  developing  a  theory  of 
supervision  which  shall  be  revealed  to  teachers  by  the 
effective  manner  in  which  they  are  aided  through  its 
means,  and  to  superior  school  officers  by  reports  on  this 
subject 

Make  principals  the  real,  not  merely  the  nominal  heads  of 
their  schools 

Judge  teachers'  ability  to  instruct  in  terms,  not  of  what  the 
teacher  does  but  of  what  the  child  does 

Reduce  frequency  with  which  teachers  are  rated 


Recommendations — Continued  53 

Let  principals  and  teachers  take  initiative  in  making  cur- 
riculum in  all  subjects  for  their  school 

So  discuss  methods  in  syllabi  that  in  no  way  will  princijjals' 
hands  be  tied 

Establish  definite  avenue  of  approach  to  superior  olhcers  so 
that  recommendations  that  express  the  consensus  of  opin- 
ion of  principals  when  forwarded  to  these  olTicers  shall 
command  careful  consideration  and  full  reply  within  rea- 
sonable time 

As  to  Age-grade  Reports  (Bachman) 

Change  age-grade  reports  to  insure  (a)  facts  by  each  of  16 
grades ;  (b)  one  report  at  the  beginning  of  the  school  year 
and  another  at  the  end;  (c)  consideration  of  total  register 
including  graduates  and  those  dropping  out  and  children 
in  special  "E"  and  "C"  classes;  (d)  use  of  up-to-14^  as 
"normal"  for  finishing  8B  ;  (e)  ages  and  grades  of  same 
day  (i.  e.,  ages  on  date  of  closing  of  official  school  term, 
grade  in  which  children  have  been  during  same  term) 

Take  ages  on  first  day  of  school  term  to  show  age-grade 
condition  in  each  class  as  based  on  normal  age  limit  for 
entering  each  of  16  grades;  (i.  e.,  6  to  6}4  years  for  lA, 
6y2  to  7  for  IB,  etc) 

Make  parents  go  on  record  in  getting  date  of  birth,  year, 
month,  day 

Compute  child's  age  at  beginning  or  end  of  official  school 
term  in  terms  of  years,  months  and  days  (30  days  to  a 
month) 

Report  separatel}^,  with  ages,  children  in  classes  for  blind, 
deaf,  cripples,  mental  defectives,  ansemic,  etc 

As  to  Non-Promotion  (Bachman) 

Enforce  compulsory  educational  law  in  lA  grade,  to  avoid 

trouble  with  parents  and  "cure  many  an   incipient  case 

of  truancy" 
Amend  by-law^s  so  as  (1)  to  prohibit  entrance  to  lA  grade 

after  last  day  of  fourth  week  of  school  term  to  children 

who  will  not  be  seven  until  after  the  end  of  the  term ; 

and  (2)  to  exclude  children  who  miss  40  days  during  the 

first  half  of  term 
Have  census  board  send  to  each  principal  at  beginning  of 

each  term  the  home  addresses  of  children  who  (1)  wmII  be 

.seven  before  end  of  that  term ;  (2)  wall  not  be  seven  until 

after  its  close ;  (3)  are  seven  and  should  enter  school 
Require  new  attendance  report  for  lA  grade  to  show  cause 

of  each   absence,   and   separate   reports   for  children   not 

amenable  to  compulsory  education  law 
Investigate  each  child  now  in  "E"  classes  to  determine  to 

what  overage  is  due 


54  Recommendations — Continued 

Provide  classes  in  which  special  attention  is  given  to  all 
pupils  two  or  more  years  behind  their  grade 

Make  course  of  study  so  flexible  that  additional  time  may 
be  devoted  in  regular  classes  to  aiding  children  to  acquire 
working  knowledge  of  English 

Insist  that  principals  establish  wherever  necessary  and 
possible  the  Ettinger  part  time  plan  as  superior  in  rate  of 
promotion  and  hours  of  instruction  to  other  part  time 
plans 

Collect  by  terms,  from  current  and  cumulative  records,  data 
relative  to  promotions,  non-promotions  and  part  time 
(suggested  blank  given) 

Investigate  relative  merits  of  whole  and  part  time  classes 

Make  actual  total  length  of  each  elementary  school  course 
correspond  with  period  between  6  and  14  years  of  age 
and  with  length  of  time  pupils  may  reasonabh'  be  ex- 
pected to  be  in  attendance  during  this  period 

Discontinue  practice  of  holding  pupils  in  elementary  schools 
long  after  they  are  14 

Collect  and  tabulate,  term  by  term,  reports  from  several 
schools  on  pupils  leaving  and  reasons  therefor 

Consider  100%  the  desirable  uniform  rate  of  promotion  in 
each  grade  in  each  school 

For  extra-bright  children  who  are  able  to  do  more  than 
maximum  requirements,  make  course  more  difficult  by 
raising  requirements 

Adapt  requirements  to  var3'ing  abilities  and  educational 
needs  of  different  groups  (1)  so  that  all  normal  children  m 
regular  attendance  will  be  able  by  14  to  complete  the 
elementary  school  course,  and  (2)  so  there  will  be  as 
many  different  courses  of  study  as  there  are  groups  of 
children  having  different  abilities  and  educational  needs 

Revise  actual  total  length  of  each  of  these  dififerent  courses 
and  the  requirements  of  each  in  view  of  above  data  to  be 
collected  by  terms 

As  to  Intermediate  Schools  (Bachman) 

Take  special  care  to  maintain  sympathetic  relations  be- 
tween intermediate  schools,  contril)uting  schools,  and  high 
or  vocational  schools,  thus  developing  systematic  voca- 
tional guidance 

Use  complete  records  of  work  and  cost  of  such  schools  to 
improve  them  and  judge  their  efficiency 

As  to  Estimating  Teachers   Needed  in  Elementary   Schools 

(Bachman) 

Make  entire  system   (not  individual  school  or  district)   the 

unit  in  estimating  the  total  register  for  which  provisions 

are  recjuestcd,  because  more  exact,  simpler  to  make  and 

includes  all  data  needed 


Recommendations — Continued  55 

Exclude  from  register  used  all  pupils  transferred  to  other 
schools  and  include  only  pupils  who  have  been  in  school 
at  least  one  entire  day  during  a  given  month 

Base  estimated  register  on  the  actual  average  annual  in- 
crease for  a  series  of  years  ranging  from  one  to  five 

Estimate  for  each  month  of  the  school  year  the  total  register 
of  the  system  as  a  whole,  since  the  total  register  of  each 
elementary  school  changes  from  month  to  month 

Distribute  the  total  estimated  register  among  the  different 
grades  on  the  basis  of  the  average  annual  increase  or  de- 
crease in  the  register  of  each  grade  for  a  series  of  years 

Make  each  individual  school  the  unit  in  determining  the 
number  of  pupils  for  whom  one  teacher  should  be  pro- 
vided, studying  by  months  and  grades  the  number  and 
size  of  classes  in  each  school 

Expand  and  define  regulations  of  board  of  education  con- 
cerning (a)  standard  size  of  class  in  each  grade ;  (b) 
combination  of  small  classes ;  (c)  division  of  large  classes 

As  to  Compulsory  Attendance  (Burks) 

Reorganize  the  compulsory  attendance  staff  according  to 
kinds  of  work;  i.e.,  (a)  preliminary  investigation  and  re- 
port; (b)  preventive  treatment;  (c)  disciplinary  treat- 
ment (d)  corrective  (institutional)   treatment 

Division  of  Enumeration  and  Investigation 

Should  maintain  complete  census  of  all  children  of  school 
age;  make  preliminary  investigation  of  all  referred  cases; 
list  children  as  moved  or  not  found ;  and  account  for  all 
cases  before  they  are  finally  dropped  from  record  of  cases 
under  consideration 

Division  of  Prevention  and  Probation 

Should  make  further  investigations  to  ascertain  facts  re- 
garding physical,  mental  and  social  conditions  affecting 
each  case ;  diagnose  and  outline  treatment ;  obtain  co- 
operation of  teachers,  physicians,  parents,  charitable  so- 
cieties, etc ;  confer  with  parents  and  teachers  in  cases  of 
irregular  attendance ;  act  as  probation  oflicers  for  children 
placed  on  probation  by  district  superintendent,  courts  and 
truant  schools 

Division  of  Discipline  and  Prosecution 

Should  prepare  cases  against  children  or  parents,  cooperate 
with  police  department  in  enforcing  newsboy  law,  etc 

Division  of  Correction 

Should  include  institutions  for  temporary  detention  or  per- 
manent care  of  children,  a  day  detention  school  in  each 
district  and  parental  schools  for  habitual  truants 


56  Recommendations — Continued 

Reorg-anize  reporting-  forms  and  classification  of  data  in 
detail  [suggested  blanks  given]  to  include  (a)  daily  time 
and  service  report  for  officers ;  (b)  monthly  summary  of 
time  and  service  reports;  (c)  report  on  investigation  of 
pupils'  absence;  (d)  cumulative  record  of  each  case  inves- 
tigated ;  (e)  daily  summary  record  for  each  school ;  (f ) 
monthly  summary  by  districts  (or  by  individual  attend- 
ance otTicers) 

As  to  Tests  in  Arithmetic  (Courtis) 

Undertake  systematic  cxi)crimental  work  in  measuring  fac- 
tors making  for  efficiency 

Study  relation  between  race,  nationality  and  social  condi- 
tions of  children  and  their  scores  and  growth  in  standard 
tests 

Study  social  life  of  all  types  of  children  to  determine  ma- 
terial available  for  problem  work 

Study  relations  between  physical  and  mental  growth,  as 
measured  by  standard  tests 

Study  individual  children  going  to  Avork  to  determine  needs 
of  dilTerent  classes  of  children 

Determine  by  experiment  best  method  of  developing  speed 
and  accuracy,  and  whether  oral  drill  or  written  drill  is 
more  important 

Adiust  drill  on  basis  of  measured  needs  of  each  individual 
child 

Use  comparative  graphs  as  practical  classroom  device  for 
keeping  track  of  children's  needs 

As  to  Ungraded  Classes  for  the  Feeble-Minded  (Goddard) 
Place    as   many    children    as   possible    in    an    institution    or 

colony  for  permanent  segregation 
Make  appropriate  manual  training  (such  as  can  be  seen  at 

the  Institution  for  Feeble-Minded,  Waverly,  Mass.)  the 

principal  work  in  all  these  classes 
Ascertain  actual  number  of  feeble-minded  children  who  are 

crippled,  blind  or  deaf  and  have  been  shut  out  of  school 

As  to  High  School  Organization  and  Administration  (Ballou) 
Adopt  30  pupils  provisionally  as  the  standard  size  of  a  reci- 
tation section 
Allow  chairman  as  well  as  teachers  one  free  period  each  day 
Have  chairmen  of  departments  spend  at  least  two  periods 

per  month  in  the  class  room  of  each  teacher 
Decrease  number  of  teaching  periods  when  chairman  are 

assigned  administrative  duties 

Have  principals  and  superintendents  diflferentiate  definitely 

between  what  is  clerical  and  what  is  administrative  work 

Allow  principal  of  1,000  pupils  15  periods  of  time  from  his 

teaching    staflF    for    necessary    administrative    functions; 


Recommendations — Continued  57 

principal  of  2,000  pupils  30  periods;  of  4,000  pupils  50 

periods 
Subject  courses  of  study  to  continual  revision  by  committees 

of  high  school  principals  and  teachers  and  board  of  super- 
intendents 
Use  regular  knowledge  possessed  by  principals  and  teachers 

in   all   general    administrative   matters   affecting   internal 

organization 
Expect   and   require   principals   and   teachers   to   contribute 

results  of  their  experience 
Base    every    act    of    controlling    administrative    agency    on 

knowledge  which  comes  from  direct  contact  with  schools 
To  determine  need  of  additional  teachers  use  blank  which 

calls  for  essential   facts  concerning   (1)    size  of   sections 

and  (2)  amount  of  teaching 

As  to  High  School  Course  of  Study  (Davis) 

Encourage  principals  and  teachers  to  make  thorough 
analyses  of  needs  and  desires  of  the  communities  in  which 
their  schools  are  located  and  of  dominant  interests  and 
real  needs  of  the  pupils  that  enter  their  schools 

Give  greater  intensiveness  and  continuity  to  instruction 

Reduce  uniform  prescriptions  for  graduation  not  to  exceed 
55%  of  requirements  for  graduation 

Encourage  individual  election  of  studies  to  minimum 
amount  of  45%  of  required  work 

Prescribe  for  all  students  only  courses  in  English,  social 
sciences,  natural  science  including  physiology  and  hy- 
giene, physical  training,  manual  training  for  boys  and 
domestic  science  and  art  for  girls,  ethics,  music  and 
drawing 

Print  subcourses  centering  in  some  major  subject  and  circu- 
late them  among  pupils  as  suggested  guides 

Require  each  pupil  to  take,  before  graduation,  at  least  three 
years  of  work  in  some  department  other  than  English 

Omit  foreign  languages  and  mathematics  in  absolute  pre- 
scription for  graduation,  but  permit  alternative  choice  of 
these  two,  or  on  advice  by  the  principal,  prescribe  neither 

Adapt  special  high  scliools  to  various  needs  of  pupils  (1)  by 
differentiating  subject  matter  of  included  academic  sub- 
jects so  as  to  give  them  a  decidedly  technical  bent,  (2) 
by  permitting  individual  specialization  in  third  and  fourth 
years,  (3)  by  encouraging  organization  of  special  courses 
to  meet  needs  of  pupils  whose  stay  in  school  must  be  short 

As   to    Estimating   Teachers    Needed    in   the    High    Schools 

(Ballon) 

Adopt  new  blank  [facsimile  given]  which  gives  information 

on    (1)   net  register,  number  of  pupils   and   tcaciiers   for 

each  subject  by  terms  for  period  of  five  years ;  (2)  analysis 


58  Recommendations — Continued 

of  organization  of  school  for  the  year,  size  and  number  ot 
recitation  sections,  total  teaching  and  study  hall  periods 
per  week  for  each  teacher,  number  of  clerical  and  labora- 
tory assistants;  (3)  estimate  of  the  number  of  additional 
teachers  and  assistants  needed 

Revise  tiie  blank  from  time  to  time  in  accordance  with  sug- 
gestions made  by  principals 

Invite  representative  high  school  principals  to  be  present  at 
all  conferences  of  school  authorities  and  board  of  estimate 
concerning  high  school  estimates 

As  to  Commercial  Education  (Thompson) 

Appoint  council  of  chairmen  of  commercial  departments  to 
study,  weigli  and  recommend  improvements  in  courses 
and  methods 

Establish  course  of  study  with  subjects  of  merchandise  and 
salesmanship  as  a  vocational  group  in  connection  with 
Washington  Irving  High  School 

Segregate  commercial  pupils  in  general  high  schools  into  a 
commercial  department 

Abandon  regents'  tests  for  commercial  subjects 

Make  separate  eligible  lists  for  all  teachers  giving  instruc- 
tion in  commercial  schools  and  courses 

Establish  one  year  and  two  year  courses  with  specific  objec- 
tives for  those  who  cannot  stay  longer 

Include  in  commercial  school  course  assembly  talks  by 
business  men 

As  to  Trade  Training  (Schneider) 

Inaugurate  a  system  of  advisory  boards  of  representatives 
of  employers  and  employees  to  help  bring  school  and 
shop  into  cooperation 

Open  every  school  gymnasium  every  night  under  the  direc- 
tion of  physical  directors 

As  to  Handling  of  Correspondence  (Averill) 

Secure  a  supply  of  prmted  forms  giving  information  in 
answer  to  questions  which  experience  has  shown  to  be  re- 
current, and  blank  forms  which  can  be  filled  out  in  answer 
to  various  requests 

Detail  a  clerk  to  attend  to  queries  involving  the  compila- 
tion of  special  data 

Establish  a  system  for  the  complete  recording  of  busines*^ 
which  is  transacted  verbally,  thereby  making  records 
complete  and  fixing  responsil^ility  for  what  is  now  rele- 
gated to  memory 

Detail  an  office  organizer  to  reorganize  and  coordinate  the 
correspondence  work  not  only  of  the  superintendents' 
offices  but  also  of  the  other  offices  wherever  necessary, 
grading  work  so  that  supervisory  officers  drawing  salaries 


Recommendations — Continued  59 

of  from  $3,000  to  $10,000  shall  not  be  engaged  in  clerical 
work  which  can  be  done  by  clerks  drawing  $900  to  $2,000 
annually 
Enable  higher  supervisory  officers  to  give  to  educational 
supervisory  work  time  now  given  needlessly  to  clerical 
work  and  unnecessary  questions 

As  to  Delays  in  Construction  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Select  sites  for  new  schools  upon  data  obtained  from  accur- 
ate census  calculations  and  local  surveys 

Utilize  permanent  census  board  records  to  determine 
present  and  prospective  school  population  and  future 
transportation  facilities 

Estimate  seating  requirements  at  least  two  years  in  advance 

Have  designed  by  board  of  education  all  plans  of  any  one 
school  in  one  unit,  such  as  general  construction,  heating, 
ventilating  and  electrical  plans 

Complete  partial  standards  of  school  buildings  by  board  of 
education  and  evolve  an  absolute  standard  set  of  school 
building  designs  for  elementary  schools.  The  savings 
would  amount  to  at  least  10%  of  total  cost  of  construction 

Have  standards  of  sufficient  variety  to  conform  to  architec- 
tural requirements  of  locality 

Have  complete  set  of  rules  issued  by  each  city  department 
whose  approval  of  plans  is  required,  outlining  require- 
ments 

Retain  for  the  designing  force  of  the  board  of  education  an 
engineer  of  as  well  established  ability  as  its  architect,  to 
have  full  charge  of  mechanical  design  of  school  buildings, 
and  maintenance 

Make  walls,  floors  and  ceilings  and  all  furniture  in  school 
buildings  of  washable  material  devoid  of  angles  or  un- 
sanitary projections 

Run  the  schools  "all  the  year  round"  with  four  terms  per 
year,  use  auditoriums  constantly,  etc 

As  to  Construction  and  Care  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Investigate  coal  storage  at  Parental  School  to  avoid  spon- 
taneous combustion 

Evolve  perfect  school  design  to  reduce  architectural  and 
mechanical  force  now  required 

Separate  architectural  and  engineering  departments,  and 
put  supervision  of  janitors  and  purchase  of  engineering 
supplies  under  department  of  engineering 

Give  kindly,  intelligent  and  personal  instructions  to  janitors 
instead  of  a  book  of  rules 

As  to  Janitorial  Compensation  (Armstrong) 

Consolidate  work  now  carried  on  by  committee  on  buildings 
and  stafif  of  committee  on  care  of  buildings 


60  Recommendations — Continued 

Decide  definitely  whether  board  wishes  to  continue  or  dis- 
continue indirect  employment  of  firemen  and  cleaners 

Organize  fixed  staflf  of  janitors  and  assistants  for  each  school 
building 

Fix  definite  compensation  for  period  of  six  months,  not  to 
be  increased  unless  additional  rooms  or  buildings  are 
added 

Have   salaries  and  grades  of  janitorial  positions   fixed  by 
board   of  estimate,   and   let   board   of   education   assume 
sole   charge   of   promotion   and   transfer   to  grades   thus 
cstalilishcd 
As  to  Ventilation  (Baskerville-Winslow) 

Operate  fans  in  schools  during  night  sessions 

Make  occasional  study  by  visiting  engineers  in  each  school 
of  temperature  and  volume  of  air  at  room  inlets 

Install  thermograph  in  each  school  building;  inspect  records 
carefully  as  efiicient  control  of  ventilating  systems  and 
janitorial  service 

RECOMMENDATIONS  REQUIRING  STATE  LEGISLA- 
TION 
As  to  Examiners  (Elliott) 

Reorganize  board  to  have  nine  members  including  city  su- 
perintendent, ex  officio 
As  to  Superintendents  (Elliott) 

Abolish  board  of  superintendents  and  position  of  associate 
city  superintendent 
As  to  Non-Promotion  (Bachman) 

Amend  compulsory  education  law  to  apply  to  children  who 
will  be  seven  before  end  of  given  school  term  instead  of 
to  children  who  are  seven  at  beginning  of  a  given  term 
As  to  Ungraded  Classes  for  the  Feeble-Minded  (Goddard) 
Amend  child  labor  law  so  that  defective  children  may  go 
to  Avork  as  soon  as  it  is  clear  that  it  will  be  more  profit- 
aljle  for  them  to  work  than  to  go  to  school 
As  to  Trade  Training  (Schneider) 

Enact  a  compulsory  continuation  school  law  requiring  four 
hours  a  week  in  day  time  at  employer's  expense,  if  em- 
ployers oppose  continuation  schools 
As  to  Delays  in  Construction  of  Buildings  (Armstrong) 

Est.'iblisli  l)v  changes  in  charter  if  necessary,  a  technical 
efficiency  bureau,  whose  duties  shall  be  to  pass  upon  the 
mechanical  and  architectural  adequac}^  of  all  Ijuilding 
plans  of  all  departments 
Establish  by  law  a  board  of  censorship  for  contractors,  to 
make  public  a  list  of  contractors  whose  intelligence,  ex- 
perience, integrity  and  financial  ability  render  them 
eligible  for  city  work 


FURTHER    INVESTIGATIONS   SAID   TO   BE   NECES- 
SARY BY  TEN  SCHOOL  INQUIRY  INVESTIGATORS 

To  Determine 

Powers  and  duties  in  detail  of  city  superintendent,  Ijoard  of 
superintendents  and  associate  city  superintendents,  to 
secure  more  efficient  distribution  of  administrative  and 
supervisory  powers  (P'lliott) 

How  elementary  schools  can  continue  the  main  lines  of 
work  begun  in  the  kindergarten,  while  giving  mastery 
over  symbols  (McJMurry) 

Main  objects  elementary  instruction  should  aim  to  accom- 
plish, in  terms  that  are  significant  to  teachers  and  laymen 
alike  and  that  breathe  a  broad  spirit  (McMurry) 

Advantages  of  intermediate  schools  based  on  data  collected 
for  a  number  of  terms  (Bachman) 

Localities  where  conditions  seem  favorable  to  establishment 
of  intermediate  schools  (Bachman) 

Actual  age-grade  conditions  in  elementary  schools  (Bach- 
man) 

Causes  of  overage  (Bachman) 

Actual  total  length  of  present  elementary  course  of  study 
(Bachman) 

Actual  length  of  time  children  are  in  attendance  between  6 
and  14  years  (Bachman) 

Which  groups  of  children  have  different  abilities  and  educa- 
tional needs  (Bachman) 

Best  age  of  entrance  to  elementary  schools  (Bachman) 

At  what  age  children  need  a  regime  different  from  that  of 
elementary  school  (Bachman) 

Number  of  normal  children  entering  and  completing  the 
present  course  of  study  (Bachman) 

Relative  educational  achievements  of  pupils  in  whole  time 
and  part  time  classes  (Bachman) 

Relative  educational  worth  of  classes  of  each  of  several  sizes 
(Bachman) 

Extent  to  which  pupils  now  in  "E"  classes  are  classified  and 
instructed  according  as  their  overage  is  due  to  late  en- 
trance or  to  retardation  (Bachman) 

To  what  extent  51%  of  those  who  left  school  during  Janu- 
ary-June term,  ISUl,  had  legal  reasons  and  to  what  extent 
their  leaving  was  due  to  inefficiency  of  the  department  of 
compulsory  education  (Bachman) 

Value  of  methods  and  results  of  all  institutions  to  which 
children  are  now  committed  for  custodial  care  (Burks) 

Adequate  supervision  of  children  paroled  and  placed  on 
probation  (Burks) 

Method  of  placing  in  school  non-attendants  found  on  the 
streets  (Burks) 


62  Further  Investigations 

Value  of  hearings  of  cases  by  district  superintendents 
(Burks) 

Method  of  prosecution  of  parents  and  truant  children 
(Burks) 

\\'hether  child  labor,  mercantile  and  newsboy  laws  are  prop- 
erly enforced  (Burks) 

Relation  between  the  physical  and  mental  growth,  race,  na- 
tionality and  social  condition  of  children  and  their  scores 
and  growths  in  standard  arithmetic  tests  (Courtis) 

Material  available  for  problem  work  by  study  of  social  life 
of  all  types  of  children  (Courtis) 

Best  method  of  developing  speed  and  accuracy  in  arithmetic 
(Courtis) 

Relative  progress  of  high  school  pupils  in  large  and  small 
sections  in  same  term  and  same  subject  (Ballon) 

Intellectual  and  physical  effect  upon  teachers  of  handling 
large  and  small  sections  in  high  schools  (Ballon) 

Whether  high  school  teachers  doing  less  than  20  periods 
of  teaching  a  week  are  not  doing  too  little  teaching  and 
too  much  other  work  (Ballou) 

Whether  those  having  more  than  25  periods  are  not  teach- 
ing too  much  (Ballou) 

Relations  of  (1)  number  of  curricula  in  one  high  school  to 
size  of  sections  and  number  of  teachers;  (2)  number  of 
electives  to  cost  of  instruction;  (3)  daily  program  to  time 
allotments  for  subjects  (Ballou) 

Proper  number  of  high  school  periods  per  week  and  which 
suljjects  should  be  taught  (Davis) 

Accessibility  of  present  high  school  opportunities  and  high 
school  needs  not  now  provided  for,  in  order  that  the  dif- 
ferent types  of  courses  or  schools  may  be  located  where 
required  and  within  walking  distance  of  the  homes  of 
pupils  (Hanus) 

Trend  of  population  and  its  growth  in  density,  block  by 
block,  shown  clearly  on  a  map  (Armstrong) 

Available  sittings  occupied  and  unoccupied,  district  by  dis- 
trict (Armstrong) 

Present  results  of  commercial  education  ;  business  conditions 
in  relation  to  commercial  education  (Thompson) 

Possibilities  for  cooperative  relations  between  commercial 
courses  and  commercial  houses  (Thompson) 

Number  of  girls  and  boys  employed  in  different  occupations ; 
whether  the  work  is  energizing  or  enervating;  whether 
it  is  juvenile  work  only,  or  whether  it  offers  good  perma- 
nent employment ;  whether  or  not  it  is  seasonal ;  together 
with  the  usual  vocational  statistics  on  wages,  home  con- 
ditions, reasons  for  leaving  school,  etc  (Schneider) 


THIRTY-FIVE   SUBJECTS,    NOT   COVERED    BY   THE 
SCHOOL  INQUIRY,   SUGGESTED   FOR   INVESTI- 
GATION   BY    TEACHERS,    PRINCIPALS    AND 
PARENTS    THROUGH    THE    SCHOOL 
EDITOR   OF  THE   "GLOBE" 


Training  schools  for  teachers 

Over-worked  teachers 

Extra  curriculum  activities  of  teachers 

Effect  of  attendance  at  college  on  teaching  ability 

Promotion  examinations 

Coaching  for  examinations 
Visiting  teachers  and  teachers'  visiting 
Teachers'  organizations 
Pension  and  retirement  policy- 
English  used  by  principals  and  teachers 

Night  schools 
Vacation  schools 
Recreation  centers 
All-year  school 
Popular  lectures 

Open-air  classes 

Use  of  museums  and  parks  for  teaching 

Social  life,  fraternities,  etc 

Relation  of  public  to  parochial  and  private  schools 

Physiological  age 

School  nurse  and  medical  inspection 
Sanitation  of  buildings 
Athletics — expense,  value 
Cheap  meals,  school  lunches 
Vocational  guidance  and  needs 

Adequateness  of  educational  supplies 

Educational  value  and  effect  of  part  time  (except  in  relation 

to  promotion) 
Congestion 
Moral  training 
Local  school  boards 

Litigation— extent,  success,  necessity,  avoidability 
School  records — adequacy,  complexity 
Text  books — needless  purchase,  adequacy 
School  publicity 
Decorations  and  atmosphere 

63 


HOW    THE    INQUIRY    STARTED 

For  years  prior  to  I^^IO  diiierences  witliin  the  board  of  educa- 
tion, between  the  board  of  education  and  its  superintend- 
ents, l)ct\veen  the  board  and  the  board  of  estimate  and  the 
public,  prompted  numerous  suggestions  that  the  schools 
be  investigated,  especially  school  linances 
In  May,  1909,  the  Bureau  of  Municipal  Research  in  its  What 
New  York's  Next  Mayor  Should  Do,  included  two  sugges- 
tions about  schools:  {!)  make  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  public  school  system,  its  curriculum,  its  administration, 
its  plans  for  the  future,  its  relation  to  private  and  parochial 
schools,  its  provisions  for  children's  health,  and  its  principal 
needs;  (2)  work  out  and  inaugurate  a  comprehensive  plan 
for  industrial  training  with  provision  for  studying  and 
for  publishing  the  result  of  all  plans  tried 
In  October,  1910,  during  the  discussion  of  school  budget  esti- 
mates, the  school  editor  of  the  Globe  published  over  and 
over  again  a  demand  for  a  thorough  school  investigation 
as  the  only  means  of  settling  differences  which  had  arisen 
year  after  year  about  the  correctness  of  school  estimates 
and  the  soundness  of  school  proposals  for  spending  money 

At  the  request  of  the  board  of  estimate,  Henry  Bruere,  director 
of  the  Bureau,  drafted  a  resolution  authorizing  a  school 
inquiry  which  Comptroller  Prendergast  introduced  (see 
page  4)  ;  $50,000  was  included  for  expenses  which  the  alder- 
men cut  out  and  the  mayor  failed  to  put  back  by  his  veto 
power;  funds  were  made  available  by  transfers;  President 
Mitchel  of  the  board  of  aldermen.  Comptroller  Prendergast, 
and  President  Miller  of  the  borough  of  Bronx,  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  by  Mayor  Gaynor;  the  inquiry  proposal 
was  universally  welcomed ;  assurance  of  cooperation  was 
given  by  board  of  education ;  scores  of  constructive  sugges- 
tions were  made  by  teachers  and  principals  through  the 
school  columns  of  the  Globe,  and  many  others  by  editorial 
WTiters 

Resolutions  calling  for  the  school  inquiry  and  for  two  other 
departmental  inquiries  were  distributed  throughout  the 
country  by  the  Bureau  as  Efficient  Citizenship  No.  401 

Upon  request  of  the  inquiry  committee  the  Bureau  outlined  a 
tentative  plan  which  it  submitted  to  several  leading  educa- 
tors for  criticism  and  suggestion ;  wrote  to  scores  of  school 
men  inviting  suggestions;  arranged  luncheon  and  dinner 
meetings  for  considering  plans  and  investigators 

Scholia  Club,  Columbia  University,  invited  President  Mitchel 
and  Director  Allen  of  the  Bureau  to  explain  the  purpose  and 
method  of  the  inquiry  ;  among  those  present  were  Professors 
McMurry,  Munro,  Strayer.  Suzzallo  of  Teachers'  College, 
and  B.  G.  Lewis,  Luther  T.  Gulick,  Leonard  P.  Ayres,  Supt. 
A.  B.  Poland,  Jesse  D,  Burks,  etc 


How  THE  Inquiry   Started  65 

Study  of  business  aspects  of  schools  began  to  include  account- 
ing methods,  handling  of  complaints  and  correspondence, 
supplies,  sites,  buildings,  etc;  W.  A.  Averill  of  the  Bureau 
staff,  loaned  without  cost  for  the  study  of  office  methods, 
handling  of  correspondence,  etc;  Director  Brucre  helped 
to  supervise  non-educational  aspects 

After  conferences  with  President  Pritchett.  Dean  Russell  and 
several  other  educators,  a  list  of  proposed  investigators  was 
submitted  by  President  Mitchel  to  Commissioner  Snedden 
of  Massachusetts  for  ranking;  Professor  Paul  H.  Hanus 
was  chosen  as  director  of  educational  aspects,  no  one  else 
having  been  ofifered  the  post,  and  was  given  power  to  select 
collaborators;  outline  was  agreed  upon  of  facts  the  inquiry 
would  have  ready  for  making  the  1912  school  budget; 
suggestions  were  written  by  him  for  modifying  the  blank 
then  before  principals  calling  for  facts  on  attendance,  over- 
age, non-promotion,  etc;  from  facts  furnished  by  Professor 
Hanus  press  notices  were  prepared  by  the  Bureau  as  to  his 
educational  experience,  similar  notices  being  sent  during 
the  summer  as  new  investigators  were  announced;  at  Prof. 
Hanus'  request  Bureau  released  Dr.  Bachman  whom  it  had 
engaged 

HOW  THE  INQUIRY  WAS  RECEIVED 

Both  morning  and  evening  papers  gave  as  much  attention  to 
successive  individual  reports  as  they  could  have  given  to  the 
whole  report  if  issued  at  one  time.  The  school  editors  of 
the  Globe  and  the  Evening  Sun  quoted,  commented  and 
analyzed  for  weeks.  In  the  latter  Miss  Louise  E.  Tucker, 
a  school  principal,  challenged  the  investigators'  findings 
under  headings  like :  Bachmaii  Suggestions  in  Report  are 
Impracticable,  Elliott's  Suggestion  to  Abolish  Board  of 
Superintendents  too  Drastic,  Hanus  Experts'  'Inbreeding' 
Theory  Unsupported  by  Fact,  Omissions  by  School  Inquiry, 
Muck  Raking  by  Educators  is  Profitable,  Hanus-Elliott 
Report  Shown  to  be  Wrong  in  Every  Particular 

In  his  series  of  articles  on  Investigating  the  Schools,  Tristram 
W.  Metcalfe,  school  editor  of  the  Globe,  emphasized  the 
principal  findings  of  each  investigator,  connecting  these  re- 
sults with  the  experience  of  the  schools  during  recent  years 
and  particularly  with  the  efforts,  successful  and  unsuccess- 
ful, of  the  School  Progressives  and  outsiders  to  secure  in- 
formation or  action  in  line  with  inquiry  findings 

Teachers  and  principals  w^ere  first  brought  together  for  study 
of  the  inquiry  reports  by  Mr.  Metcalfe  of  the  Globe ;  Janu- 
ary 24,  1913,  a  special  council  of  teachers  and  principals 
organized  to  represent  24  different  school  organizations; 
February   5th,   the   city   superintendent   called   meetings   of 


66  How  THE  Inquiry  was  Received 

principals  in  each  borough  at  the  hour  previously  arranged 
for  the  above  mentioned  council  to  meet,  to  select  members 
to  cooperate  with  him  in  studying  the  reports;  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  board  of  education,  a  resolution  called  upon 
these  committees  to  report  to  the  board  as  well  as  to  the 
city  superintendent ;  subcommittees  began  a  study  which 
continued  for  months  but  without  published  results,  up  to 
September 
The  city  superintendent,  February  1,  1913,  requested  principals 
to  meet  as  above,  through  a  circular  in  part  as  follows,  pub- 
lished in  newspapers : 

"I  ask  the  press  and  the  public  to  suspend  judgment  on 
the   report  of  Prof.    Elliott  and   Prof.    McMurry,   and 
upon  the  reports  yet  to  be  submitted  by  other  mem- 
bers of  Prof.  Hanus'  committee  who  have  been  investi- 
gating the  public  schools 
"I  ask  that  the  allegations,  arguments  and  conclusions 
in  these  reports  be  not  accepted  as  final  until  they  have 
been  subjected  to  a  rigid  scrutiny  by  those  who  know 
our  schools  best — teachers,  principals  and  superinten- 
dents" 
The   associate    superintendents    were   the    first    to    challenge 
publicly  the  inquiry  findings;   submitted  April  23d  to  the 
board  of  education  a  30  page  Review  and   Reply  of  the 
Hanus-Elliott  Report;    its  chief  points  digested  on  page  68 
Meantime,  unofficially,  principals  and  teachers  studied  the  re- 
ports  and   their  own    schools.      In   no   other   profession    in 
New  York  probably,  would  such  sweeping  and  scathing — 
and  often  vulnerable — criticisms   have  been   given  a  half- 
school  year's  start  and  reiteration  without  challenge;  it  is 
a  happy  sign,  however,  that  indiscriminate  and  irrelevant 
"T'aint  so"  argument  seemed  clearly  out  of  place;  thanks 
chiefly  to  the  board  of  education's  own  publicly  expressed 
attitude,  teachers  and  principals  fairly  grabbed  at  the  helpful 
suggestions;  detailed  analysis  will  begin  in  October 
The  district  superintendents  conducted  some  careful  and  gen- 
eral   studies ;   tabulated    facts   which   time    sheets,   working 
papers  and  reports  should  have  shown  as  to  time  spent  in 
classes  and   schools  by   investigators,    schools  and   classes 
not  visited,  etc;  report  forthcoming 
The  board  of  education  twice  appointed  committees  to  review 
the  reports,  once  in  1012  and  again  February  10,  1913,  the 
latter  to  coo])erate  with  teachers  and  principals;  the  former 
could  do  little  because  of  the  delay  in  issuing  the  reports: 
several  of  the  reports  were  anticipated  by  special  reports 
by  board  committees ;  the  semi-annual  report  of  President 
Churchill  to  the  board  of  education  made  several  references 
to  the  school  inquiry  indicating  a  disposition  to  utilize  all 
findings   and   recommendations   where   found   useable,   but 


How  THE  Inquiry  was  Received  67 

noting  the  fact  that  before  the  inquiry  reports  came  out 
regarding  teaching,  syllabus,  etc,  the  board  of  education 
itself  had  called  for  revision  of  the  curriculum  ;  due  in  part 
to  the  inquiry,  the  board's  attitude  toward  suggestion  and 
criticism  from  whatever  source  is  entirely  changed;  the 
division  of  reference  and  research  started  September,  1913, 
upon  President  Churchill's  initiative  is  the  board's  best  an- 
swer to  the  inquiry  and  a  promise  of  continuing  openminded- 
ness,  self-analysis  and  cooperation 

Citizen  organizations  did  less  than  occasion  required ;  the 
Public  Education  Association  opposed  the  1913  legislation 
re  schools  as  contrary  to  inquiry  recommendations,  joined 
in  a  public  dinner  to  Professor  Hanus,  supported  through 
two  bulletins  the  rejected  Moore  report;  and  in  August,  1913, 
began  the  publication  of  digests  and  appraisals;  200  citi- 
zen agencies  paid  no  official  attention  to  the  inquiry  reports 

The  Bureau  of  Municipal  Research  was  given  a  fund  in  Octo- 
ber, 1912,  with  which  22  school  inquiry  follow-up  bulletins 
were  issued  to  2.000  school  superintendents,  editors  and 
others  interested  in  education  and  to  New  York  principals 
and  commissioners ;  beginning  December,  1912,  numerous 
reports  were  published  of  a  study  made  by  its  Training 
School  for  Public  Service  of  P.  S.  188  Boys,  Manhattan,  at 
the  request  of  Principal  Edward  Mandel ;  January  15,  1913, 
a  card  announced  that  the  reports  were  to  be  published 
"next  week"  and  told  which  papers  would  give  full  accounts ; 
in  July,  1913,  a  fund  of  $5,000  was  given  for  follow-up  dur- 
ing the  summer  and  fall ;  this  fund  is  being  used  for  this 
digest,  other  bulletins,  the  study  of  1914  budget  estimates, 
etc,  to  tide  over  until  the  Public  Education  Association  or- 
ganizes for  the  analysis,  appraisal  and  follow-up  which  it 
hopes  to  guarantee 


THE    ONLY    REPLY    BY    INSIDERS    TO    OUTSIDERS.    PUB- 
LISHED YET.— RE  ELLIOTT  REPORT  ON  BOARD 
OF    SUPERINTENDENTS 

Report  inconsistent  and  misleading;  conclusions  unjust  and  unfair, 
not  sustained  by  anything  more  than  general  statements  and  anony- 
mous criticism 

Reviewed  record  of  city  superintendent  since  1902,  but  of  board  only 
since  1906  and  ignored  entirely  minutes  of  board  for  six  previous 
years 

Many  problems  of  school  administration  were  overlooked  by  the 
investigator  because  discussion  was  not  in  minutes,  though  con- 
ference with  members  would  have  brought  them  to  light 

Whatever  "conferences"  held  did  not  include  members  of  board  of 
superintendents,  and  investigator  was  present  at  onl)'  one  meeting 
of  board 

Investigator  ignored  fact  that  from  1898-1902,  borough  superintendents 
established  many  features  now  boasted  by  schools,  such  as  training 
school  for  teachers,  three  high  schools,  course  of  study,  manual 
training,  kindergarten,  cooking,  vacation   schools,  playgrounds,   etc 

No  basis  of  fact  for  statement  that  board  is  "bureaucratic";  transfer- 
ence of  duties  to  city  superintendent  as  recommended,  would  bring 
about  bureaucracy;  such  duties  are  impossible  for  him  personally 
to  perform  and  should  not  be  delegated  to  a  clerical  force 

Recommendation  that  authority  of  city  superintendent  should  be 
increased  is  inconsistent  with  criticism  of  "machinery,"  "military 
methods,"   etc 

Detailed  reports  of  associate  superintendents  show  that  as  division 
superintendents  they  give  close  attention  to  instruction  and  to 
all  matters  merely  referred  to  in  general  reports 

District  superintendents  have  participated  in  making  course  of  study, 
recommending  text  books,  organization  of  classes,  selection,  pro- 
motion and  approval  of  teachers,  and  have  been  called  into  con- 
ferences with  board  of  superintendents  at  nearly  all  the  meetings 

Information  about  cooperation  with  district  superintendents,  prin- 
cipals and  teachers  could  have  been  easily  obtained  by  Prof.  Elliott 
and  Prof.  Hanus 

Principals  have  been  left  free  to  try  various  systems  of  teaching,  part 
time,  grading;  to  adapt  curriculum  to  needs  of  special  children; 
to  develop  social  side;  to  place  teachers,  select  text  books  from 
ample  list,  etc 

Investigator  did  not  tell  which  recommendations  had  not  received 
attention,  or  verify  by  minutes  or  questions  the  statements  of 
teachers 

Best  features  of  proposed  "supervisory  council"  have  been  in  opera- 
tion for  11  years 

Extravagant  misstatement  that  "investigation  that  is  needed  is  not 
carried  on  at  all";  bureau  of  appraisal  and  investigation  could  not 
act  without  friction;  better  to  have  branch  investigators  associated 
with  board  of  superintendents 

No  discrimination  now  against  outsiders;  about  one-sixth  of  ele- 
mentary teachers,  and  over  one-half  of  all  high  school  teachers 
have   been  credited  with  outside  experience 

Age  of  principals  due  to  refusal  to  merge  eligible  lists  or  reduce 
required  classroom  experience 

No  system  of  examination  can  determine  qualifications  for  an  officer 
of  the  grade  of  district  superintendent  or  director 

Not  fair  to  criticize  the  board  of  superintendents  for  clerical  work 
which  it  did  not  require 

68 


GooDNOw-HovvE  Report  69 


ADDENDA 

A  digest  of  the  Goodnow-Howe  report,  released  October  15, 
1913,  is  added  to  our  digest  published  on  July  17,  1913 

Throughout  this  pamphlet  we  have  used  or  referred  to  con- 
crete illustrations  whenever  these  were  furnished  in  the 
original   reports 

At  the  present  time  we  have  not  called  attention  to  the  omis- 
sion of  concrete  illustration  but  have  omitted  all  criticism 
whatsoever  of  the  reports,  their  findings,  supporting  data 
and  recommendations,  acting  solely  as  reporters  to  the  pub- 
lic on  the  statements  of  the  school  inquiry  investigators 

We  are  strong  believers  in  putting  out  the  most  complete 
array  of  supporting  statements  possible,  whenever  a  find- 
ing, criticism  or  commendation  is  alleged 

At  a  later  date  we  purpose  to  present  the  relative  disadvan- 
tage of  reporting  to  the  public  statements  that  do  not  illus- 
trate exactly  what  conditions  are,  precisely  what  the  inves- 
tigator has  in  mind,  and  that  do  not  show  whether  the 
denominator  of  a  condition  reported  is  one  unit,  a  few  units 
or  the  entire  system 


WHAT    THE    GOODNOW-HOWE    REPORT    COVERS 

History  of  the  development  of  the  city  school  charter  from 
the  Act  of  1851  to  its  present  form 

Interpretation  of  the  present  charter  defining  relations  be- 
tween the  board  of  education  and  the  City  of  New  York, 
the  board  of  estimate  and  apportionment  and  the  depart- 
ment of  finance 

Controversies,  compromises  and  present  procedures  between 
the  school  board  and  these  bodies 

Analysis  of  school  board  estimates  and  resulting  apportion- 
ments by  the  city  authorities 

How  the  school  board  is  organized;  its  powers,  duties  and 
policies ;   special  account  of  internal  committee  organization 

How  the  board  conducts  its  meetings 

How  the  various  bureaus  and  offices  of  the  department  of 
education  are  organized 

Detailed  account  of  the  actual  procedure  of  each  bureau  such 
as  of  audit,  supplies,  care  of  buildings  and  school  admin- 
istration 

Critical  comment  wnth  recommendations  on  findings  relating 
to  organization  and  procedure  of  the  entire  school  board 
and  of  offices  and  bureaus  of  the  educational  department 

Judgment  base:  Interpretation  of  city  charter 
Fact  base:  (1)  City  charter;  (2)  school  board  min- 
utes; (3)  committee  minutes;  (4)  calendar  of  board 
meetings;  observation  of  board  meetings;  (5)  crit- 
ical examination  of  methods  and  work  of  boards, 
committees  and  officers;  (6)  all  other  school  in- 
quiry reports;  (7)  report  of  W.  H.  West,  C.P.A., 
on  accounting  procedure,  etc.  [No  account  taken 
of  changes  in  1913  B.  M.  R.] 


WHAT  THE  GOODNOW-HOWE  REPORT  PRAISED 

As  to  Board  of  Education 

Observes  special  school  fund  segregation  made  by  board  of 

estimate 
Attendance  of  members  at  meetings  is  fairly  regular;  325 
absences  of  1553  possible  attendance  or  217c  at  34  meet- 
ings in   1911 

As  to  Bureau  of  Audit 

Accounting  practices  of  bureau  of  audit  insofar  as  they  ex- 
tend, are  commendable 

Procedure  is  simple  and  effective 

Divisional  organization  and  use  of  modern  statistical  ma- 
chinery are  worthy  of  special  comment 

Auditor  evinces  a  high  order  of  ability 

As  to  Bureau  of  Supplies 

Supplies  bureau  observes  a  well-regulated  and  orderly  pro- 
cedure 

General  purchasing  policy  is  commendable 

The  superintendent  has  been  conscientious  and  indefati- 
gable in  his  work 

As  to  Bureau  of  Buildings 

Procedure  gives  evidence  of  a  high  degree  of  efficiency 

Internal  organization  is  that  of  a  well  planned  administra- 
tive unit 

By  much  thought  and  care,  the  superintendent  has  attained 
various  desirable  results 

All  employees  are  instructed  and  governed  by  carefully  for- 
mulated rules,  regulations  and  organization  charts 

Reports  to  keep  the  superintendent  currently  advised  as 
to  progress  of  work  are  called  for 

Building  plans  and  details  have  been  standardized  to  a 
considerable  extent 

Thoroughness  in  preparation  of  plans  for  construction  con- 
tracts  is  to  be  commended 

As  to  Board  Meeting  Minutes 

Index  of  minutes  of  board  meetings  is  prepared  in  elabo- 
rate and  excellent  form 

EXTENT  AND  CONTROL  OF  EXPENDITURES 

ExDCiise  of  conducting  the  schools  has  been  increasing  out 
of  all  proportion  to  the  number  of  those  receiving  in- 
struction, after  taking  into  account  new  activities  and 
teachers'  salary  increases.  A  40%  increase  in  attendance 
with  128%  increase  in  school  property  and  68%  increase 
in  current  expenses 

The  present  control  of  the  board  of  estimate  cannot  be 
charged  with  causing  the  interests  of  the  schools  to  suffer 


CONDITIONS  SAID  TO  NEED  CORRECTION 

Attitude  of  Board  of  Education  Toward  Board  of  Estimate 
and  Apportionment  Hampers  City  Government 

Exact  relation  of  board  of  estimate  and  board  of  education 
has  not  been  understood ;  no  agreement  has  been  reached ; 
insistence  of  or  upon  opposed  views  has  prevented  coop- 
eration. 

Charter  provisions  regulating  expenditure  of  funds  are  am- 
biguous and  in  some  cases  not  consistent;  sections  262, 
1064  and  56,  secure  to  the  educational  administration  an 
independence  of  municipal  control  not  accorded  ordinary 
departments ;  other  provisions  in  section  1064  place  the  de- 
partment of  education  in  the  position  of  an  ordinary  city 
department 

Court  of  appeals  considers  that  the  state  policy  has  treated 
the  board  of  education  as  a  corporation  separate  from  the 
city 

Past  legal  decisions  do  not  furnish  proof  that  the  board  of 
education  is  relieved  from  the  ordinary  financial  control 
which  the  board  of  estimate  exercises  over  other  city  de- 
partments 

Board  of  education  alone  among  city  departments  has  refused 
to  conform  to  uniform  accounting  procedure 

Board  has  failed  to  observe  many  of  the  important  regula- 
tions, refused  to  furnish  schedules  and  documents  and  in- 
formation exacted  from  other  departments: 

1  copies  of  open  market  orders 

2  schedules  of  open  market  orders  issued 

3  copies  of  invoices 

4  monthly    reports    of    contracts,    orders,    invoices    and 

vouchers 

5  schedules  of  vouchers 

6  monthly  statements  on 

general  ledger 

appropriation  accounts 

corporate  stock  bonds  etc 

contracts 
The  comptroller  has  not  made  his  requests  sufficiently  com- 
prehensive, definite  or  categorical  to  subserve  the  purposes 
either  of  estimates  or  of  the  general  city  accounting  sys- 
tem; he  has  made  little  or  no  attempt  to  secure  a  correla- 
tion of  school  board  accounts  with  school  board  budget 
estimates 

Board  of  education  is  disregarding  the  law,  unnecessarily 
hampering  the  operations  of  city  government 

School  board  accounts  have  not  been  kept  so  as  currently 
to  develop  the  information  desired  by  comptroller;  the 
board  has  not  had  this  information  or  a  way  to  get  it 


72  Defects — Continued 

Divided  responsibility  for  selection  of  sites  and  details  of 
buildings  between  board  of  education  and  board  of  esti- 
mate is  objectionable 

Confusion  and  conflict  due  to  charter  inconsistencies  have 
been  increased  because  neither  the  board  of  estimate  nor 
the  comptroller  has  disciplinar}'  means  of  enforcing  obli- 
gations recognized  by  law   [sec  226  charter] 

Teachers'   Salary   Accruals    Have   Been   Annually    Misstated 
by  at  Least  $250,000 

[Method  explained  to  investigating  committee  by  the  audi- 
tor; report  notes  that  accrual  records  have  since  been  in- 
stalled] 

Record  of  withdrawals  during  a  given  year  does  not  include 
those  between  May  31  and  December  31  of  the  previous 
year,  though  provided  for  in  the  estimate  for  the  next  year 

Record  of  nev/  teachers  does  not  segregate  appointees  for 
replacement  from  those  for  extension 

does  not  include  new  teachers  in  replacement  of  withdraw- 
als during  the  last  seven  months  of  the  preceding  year,  if 
appointed  in  that  year 

No  consideration  is  given  to  the  amount  of  time  involved  in 
the  unearned  salary  item  of  a  withdrawal 

School  board's  estimate  of  1912  accruals  was  $150,000;  actual 
1912  accruals  were  closely  approximated  to  be  over  $400,000 

Organization  of  Board  of  Education  Has  Made  It  a  Failure 

The  size,  internal  organization  of  14  separate  standing  com- 
mittees and  legal  limitations  of  the  board  are  responsible 
for  most  of  the  undesirable  conditions  covered  in  this  report 

Political  machinery  provided  by  law  is  primarily  responsible 
for  the  failures  in  the  administration  of  the  largest  annual 
budget  item;  the  care  of  $135,000,000  worth  of  property; 
the  education  of  700,000  children 

It  has  failed  to  rise  to  its  obligations  as  a  legislative  and  pol- 
icy making  body 

It  has  failed  utterly  in  the  only  field  where  it  was  expected 
to  function 

Bylaws  and  practices  adopted  have  imposed  upon  the  board 
duties  intended  by  the  charter  to  be  performed  by  the  ex- 
ecutive committee  and  in  addition  an  enormous  mass  of 
routine  never  intended  by  the  charter  to  be  performed 
either  by  the  board  or  its  executive  committee 

The  exercise  of  the  administrative  functions  by  the  board  as 
a  whole  is  as  repugnant  to  all  principles  of  economy  and 
expedition  as  it  is  inconsistent  w'ith  the  intent  of  the  charter 

It  has  abdicated  to  departmental  experts  the  important  func- 
tions of  molding  the  school  policy 


Defects — Continued  73 

It  has  failed  to  delegate  power  to  do  petty  routine  work  to 
paid  office  heads,  though  enabled  to  do  so  by  law 

It  has  added  enormously  detailed  functions  of  a  purely  rou- 
tine character 

85%  of  all  action  taken  in  1911  should  not  require  action  of 
board  but  merely  of  administrative  officers    [example  a]  ; 
9%  should  be  delegated  to  executive  committee  [b]  ;    only 
6%  should  have  been  properly  exercised  by  the  board  [c] 
a — -approving   bills,    awarding    contracts,    loaning    furni- 
ture;   appointing,  promoting,  retiring  and  transfer- 
ring  teachers;    excusing   absences;    granting   per- 
mission to  use  school  buildings  etc 
b — approving  plans,  leasing  premises,  selecting  sites,  dis- 
ciplining etc 
c — amending  bylaws,  establishing  trade   schools,  adopt- 
ing estimates,  requesting  corporate  stock  issues  etc 

Work  and  methods  are  75%  routine,  petty,  rubber-stamp  and 
detailed  rather  than  policy  making  and  legislative 

Members  are  not  familiar  with  the  whole  school  problem, 
nor  have  they  the  means  to  that  end 

Board  fails  to  awaken  a  proper  sense  of  responsibility  among 
members 

It  is  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  locate  responsibility,  so 
widely  is  authority  distributed  among  board,  committees 
and  bureau  heads 

Men  sincerely  desirous  of  public  service  are  deterred  from 
accepting  membership  because  of  lack  of  opportunity  for 
efficient  work 

Board  is  not  directly  responsive  to  public  or  to  city  officials 
responsible  to  the  public  for  the  schools 

It  is  limited  in  power  to  shape  its  internal  organization 

Investigation  of  individuals  can  be  made  only  by  formal  res- 
olution of  board  of  education ;  this  gives  those  to  be  in- 
vestigated advance  notice 

Board  has  not  at  its  ready  command  necessary  professional 
and  expert  service  for  investigation 

Control  of  board  of  education  over  board  of  superintendents 
is  weak  and  unsatisfactory 

Board's  power  to  determine  kinds  of  teachers'  licenses  is  lim- 
ited 

Board  Meetings  Are  Merely  Mechanical  and  Perfunctory 

Treatment  of  matters  in  calendar  is  too  brief  to  give  board 
members  adequate  idea  of  what  they  are  to  vote  on 

Reading  of  reports  by  secretary  is  not  adequate  to  proper 
understanding  of  subject  matter 

Printed  reports  are  seldom  prepared  for  members  and  when 
prepared,  there  is  unnecessary  delay 


74  Defects — Continued 

Board  not  infrequently  adopts  resolutions  of  prime  import- 
ance without  having  before  it  in  writing  the  language  of 
the  resolution  or  other  document  pertinent  to  it 

Printed  minutes  are  never  in  secretary's  hands  before  more 
than  3  weeks  after  a  meeting;  members  never  have  mm- 
utes  of  preceding  meeting:  no  printer's  composing  is  done 
till  after  meeting 

Board's  action  purely  a  perfunctory  ratification  of  committee 
reports 

34^  of  348  resolutions  presented  at  six  consecutive  meetings 
adopted  unanimously  without  discussion;  another  count 
shows  192  of  194  at  five  consecutive  meetings 

Board  votes  on  10  to  30  resolutions  as  one 

On  other  occasions  the  board  discussed  only  16  out  of  203 
measures  acted  on,  and  was  divided  only  on  4 

Proceedings  a  mechanical  dialog  between  the  secretary  and 
president,  while  disinterested  members  engage  in  conver- 
sation or  retire  to  committee  rooms 

A  number  of  strong  individuals  mold  the  board  at  a  maxi- 
mum of  efl^ort  and  a  minimum  of  efficiency 

Meetings  seldom  begin  on  time 

School  Board  Committee  Organization  is  Cumbrous  and 

Inefficient 

Executive  committee  has  failed  utterly  to  assume  the  func- 
tions expected  of  it  by  the  legislature  and  has  become  a 
mere  interim  committee  for  the  summer  months 

Conflict  between  committees  has  resulted  in  creating  minia- 
ture boards  of  education  within  the  official  board 

There  is  great  waste  of  energy,  ability  and  money  for  clerks, 
printing  etc;    direct  and  ready  action  is  encumbered 

Able  men  can  make  their  influence  felt  only  by  circumlocu- 
tion 

Deference  to  committee  recommendations  traditional  and 
prevents  inquiry  or  challenge 

Committee  reports  in  many  cases  fail  to  present  the  wording 
of  bills  treated 

A  non-official  organization  of  teachers  gives  a  bill  more  care- 
ful consideration  than  the  board 

Reports  on  disciplining  teachers  give  verdict  without  dis- 
cussing evidence 

Reports  on  rejection  of  teachers'  nominations  do  not  state 
reasons 

Committees,  assuming  approval  of  board,  complete  important 
matters  before  submitting  them  to  board  for  approval 


Defects — Continued  75 

Committee  on  Finance  Lacks  Data  for  Estimates 

Efficiency  of  activities  for  which  requests  were  made  is  not 
shown ;  the  only  available  source  of  data  is  the  city  super- 
intendent's report,  the  tardy  publication  of  which  limits 
the  board  to  1910-1911  statements  as  a  basis  for  1913  ap- 
propriations 

Requests  for  corporate  stock  are  made  without  information 

Only  4  of  20  requests  for  special  revenue  bonds  in  1910-1911 
explain  the  purpose  for  which  bonds  were  wanted 

Transfers  from  funds  are  requested  without  presentation  of 
supporting  data 

Estimates  for  enlarging  a  single  department  are  not  collated 
but  are  scattered  under  2,  3  or  4  heads 

Estimates  do  not  distinguish  enlargement  from  innovation 

Estimates  are  passed  in  a  perfunctory  manner  without  inves- 
tigation of  superintendents'  estimates 

Changing  Decisions  of  Committee  on  Sites  Suggests  Insuffi- 
cient Reasons  for  Requests 

In  3  years  no  request  for  a  site  has  contained  such  data  as  the 
rate  of  increase  of  population 

Reports  rescinding  sites  frequently  not  supported  with  data 

Recommended  in  May  1910  the  recission  of  22  site  selections 
of  which  nine  had  beep  made  within  6  months  by  the  very 
same  committee 

Took  no  part  in  preparation  of  1912-13  estimate,  merely  draw- 
ing up  a  list  of  buildings  called  for  by  the  building  commit- 
tee and  not  yet  provided  with  sites 

Decided  not  to  exercise  discretion  in  making  this  budget  but 
neglected  to  refer  44  communications  re  buildings  to  other 
authority 

Added  a  site  merely  on  a  member's  motion  without  reference 
to  board  of  superintendents  for  need  and  with  no  letters  be- 
fore the  cornmittee  re  need  for  site 

Sites  acquired  but  not  used  have  involved  a  loss  through  taxes 
of  $660,000  or  more 

Estimates  of  Committee  on  Buildings  not  Supported  by 
Census  Board  Claims 

11  building  requests  constituting  25%  of  all  elementary  school 
buildings  asked  for  in  1912-13  b)^  building  committee  were 
declared  undesirable  by  permanent  census  board.  Of  these 
5  were  not  necessary ;  2  of  doubtful  necessity ;  2  larger 
than  necessary;    and  2  not  properly  located 

Census  board  not  invited  by  committee  on  buildings  to  co- 
operate until  after  latter's  estimate  had  been  printed 


76  Defects — Cou  tinned 

Order  of  priority  of  buildings  requested  and  sent  to  board  of 
estimate  not  regarded  as  final  and  materially  changed 

Committee  is  without  administrative  power  or  assistance  and 
must  accept  the  services  of  the  bureau  of  supervisors  of 
janitors  over  whose  work  it  has  no  control 

Work  performed  in  awarding  contracts  is  purely  perfunctory 

Authorization  of  repairs  is  a  palpable  absurdity  and  a  waste 
of  time  and  money  in  that  the  committee  knows  nothing 
of  conditions  and  must  accept  the  word  of  the  superinten- 
dent 

Bureau  of  Buildings  Has  Only  Partial  Control  Over  Matters 
for  Which  It  Is  Responsible 

Superintendent  of  buildings  is  charged  with  the  repair  of 
heating  and  ventilating  apparatus,  with  no  control  over  its 
operation,  or  over  choice  and  purchase  of  fuel  and  other 
operative  supplies 

Estimates  for  draftsmen  and  inspectors  are  based  on  no  ap- 
plied percentage  to  construction  cost 

The  adjustment  of  the  bureau  force  to  fluctuating  building 
demands  is  accomplished  with  difficulty 

Present  leasing  procedure  involving  outside  review  and  ap- 
proval by  sinking  fund  commissioners  is  unnecessarily  time- 
consuming 

Method  of  purchasing  furniture  by  entering  into  contract  for 
each  school  and  by  grouping  different  kinds  of  articles  to- 
gether in  one  contract  item  prevents  the  department  from 
taking  full  advantage  of 

(a)  direct  purchase  from  special  dealers 

(b)  purchasing  in  largest  possible  quantity 

Field  survey  notes  for  repair  estimates  are  inadequate  for  any 
intelligent  outside  review  as  to  the  necessity  for  repairs 
enumerated 

Accounts  of  Bureau  of   School   Supplies   Inadequate,   Tardy 
and  at  Variance  with  Other  Reports 

Accounts  are  kept  on  single  entry  system,  which  is  inadequate 
in  that  it  permits  of  errors  which  cannot  readily  be  located ; 
no  attempt  is  made  to  effect  any  control  over  stock  pur- 
chased through  any  stock  accounts 
Accounts  maintained  neither  with  reference  to  nor  in  harmony 

with  general  board  of  education  accounts 
Financial  reports  are  not  accurate 
Errors  are  admitted  in  practically  all  accounts 
Bureau  has  no  accounting  officer  responsible  for  all  accounts 
Bureau  has  not  supplied  comptroller  with  salient  facts 


Defects — Continued  77 

1912  accounts  not  compiled  until  May   1913;    this  is  earlier 

than  customary- 
No    supporting   data   for  estimates   show    stock   on    hand   in 
schools  or  depositories  at  the  close  of  the  school  or  fiscal 
year 
Published  transactions  of  the   supplies  bureau   show  actual 
transactions   only    in    part;    general    supplies   expenditures 
amounting   to    $180,094   were    not    enumerated    [year    not 
stated]  ;    expenditures  for  fuel  aggregating  over  $500,000 
annually  are  not  shown 
Transactions  under  general  supplies  fund  as  reported  by  the 
superintendent  of  supplies  are  at  variance  with  facts  pre- 
sented to  the  mayor  in  school  board  reports  to  the  extent 
of  $31,422  in  1906  to  1910  inclusive 
The  inspection  system  in  operation  at  depositories  is  weak  in 
that  supplies  packed  to  be  delivered  are  inspected  by  those 
responsible  for  specific  supplies  packed 
The  issuing  of  purchase  orders  by  boroughs   now  required 
under  statutory  provision  entails  unnecessary  clerical  work 
in  that  five  orders  are  currently  issued  where  one  would 
suffice 

Committee  on  Supplies  Works  Unnecessarily  Outside  Its 
Proper  Sphere 

Has  interfered  in  an  unwarranted  manner  with  the  auditor 
in  the  exercise  of  his  rights 
[See  under  auditor] 

Performs  many  functions  which  the  superintendent  of  supplies 
ought  to  be  competent  to  perform,  such  as  approving  offi- 
cers' bills,  granting  routine  requests  for  pictures,  maps,  and 
board  minutes 

Committee  on  Care  of  Buildings  Needlessly  Engaged  in 
Detail  Work 

Supervises  the  operative  force,  but  another  committee  [on 
supplies]  chooses  and  purchases  fuel,  and  still  another 
[committee  on  buildings]  is  charged  with  installation  and 
repair  of  operative  plant 

Busies  itself  with  petty  details  such  as  trivial  complaints 
against  janitors  on  which  their  supervisor  should  act;  min- 
utes shows  requests  as  to  which  door  a  principal  should 
keep  open,  slight  changes  in  office  space,  pupil  keeping  a 
motorcycle  in  building,  use  of  buildings  for  meetings 

Committees  Interfere  with  Work  of  Bureau  Chiefs 

Character  of  business  in  bureau  of  audit  requires  very  little 
committee  supervision 


78  Defects — Continued 

Committees  lack  impartial  investigators  having  for  investiga- 
tions only  bureau  supervisors,  often  under  investigation 

Committees  interfere  with  bureau  chiefs  in  salary  and  disci- 
plinary matters  affecting  employees  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  these  matters  must  come  up  for  committee  considera- 
tion 

Committee  on  bylaws  does  not   hold  public  hearings 

Formality,  Delay  and  Duplicated  Work  Characterize  the 
Office  of  Overpaid  School  Board  Secretary 

Indexing  of  minutes  of  school  board  and  committees  is  greatly 
in  arrears 

The  secretary  has  paid  little  attention  to  improving  such  con- 
ditions 

Formality,  as  against  expediency,  is  the  characteristic  pro- 
cedure of  the  office 

The  secretary  has  accentuated  these  adverse  conditions  by 
assuming  secretarial  duty  to  all  committees 

Neither  the  secretary,  his  assistant  nor  chief  clerk  seems  to 
exercise  much  supervision  over  the  work  of  committee 
clerks 

The  clerk  of  committee  on  care  of  buildings  performs  admin- 
istrative work  without  reference  to  the  executive  officer  of 
that  committee 

Unnecessary  formality,  duplication  of  work,  delay  and  ex- 
pense is  entailed  in  the  procedure  of  this  office 

A  central  library  of  reports  and  publications  both  local  and 
country- wide   is   lacking 

With  respect  to  his  prescribed  duties  and  work  assumed,  the 
salary  of  the  secretary  is  excessive 

Methods  Employed  by  Bureau  of  Audit  and  Accounting  De- 
tract from  Accuracy  and  Value  of  Reports 

Auditor  maintains  no  control  over  supplies  bureau  accounts 
reflecting  transactions  of  approximately  $2,000,000  annually 

Auditor  should  have  asserted  his  authority  more  positively 
to  remedy  this  serious  condition 

Failure  of  auditor  to  effect  an  independent  audit  of  supplies 
I)ureau  accounts  has  produced  undesirable  conditions 

Information  as  to  salary  accruals  has  not  been  properly  de- 
veloped; both  data  and  method  of  estimating  salary  ac- 
cruals are  inaccurate  and  fundamentally  misleading 

Department  has  refused  to  observe  comptroller's  requests  for 
monthly  trial  balances  and  other  statements 

From  any  point  of  view,  statistics  as  to  expenditures  for  sup- 
plies and  fuel  are  of  little  value 


Defects — Continued  79 

Trial  balances  of  ledgers  and  subsidiary  records  are  not  taken 
off  monthly,  but  as  work  requirements  make  possible  or  as 
occasion   demands 

Balances  of  funds  on  hand  at  end  of  year  are  shown  without 
any  information  as  to  encuml)rances  against  same 

Ineffectual  Board  of  Superintendents  Hampers  Educational 

Endeavor 

Is  an  ineffective  administrative  body  which  has  outlived  its 

usefulness 
It  unnecessarily  complicates  administrative  procedure 
Because  of  its  form  as  a  board  it  consumes  time  on  tasks 

which  could  be  done  more  easily  and  quickly  by  the  city 

superintendent 
Board  seriously  limits  the  shaping  of  educational  endeavor  by 

the  board  of  education 
Board  has  based  recommendations  for  sites  on  uncertainties; 

in  the  1912-13  estimate,  8  high  schools  were  requested;   one 

month  later  only  the  8th  on  the  list  was  wanted 

City  Superintendent  Has  Not  Used  Available  Information 

Office  force  is  inadequate 

Has  not  made  proper  use  of  information  currently  developed 
and  available 

His  recommendations  for  corporate  stock  requests  have  not 
been  reliable 

A  large  amount  of  time  is  consumed  in  furnishing  clerical 
information  relating  to  vacancies,  licenses  and  qualifications 

Much  of  his  time  is  unnecessarily  consumed  in  administrative 
work  with  board  members  and  committees 

Submitted  1913  corporate  stock  estimate  to  building  commit- 
tee without  supporting  data ;  when  asked  for  data  he  fur- 
nished figures  so  inadequate  that  buildings  committee  was 
obliged  to  make  a  separate  survey  of  the  situation 

Inserted  two  important  building  items  the  necessity  for  which 
had  escaped  the  original  list 

City  Superintendent's  Office  Methods  Faulty 
Data  on   teachers'   personal   record   cards   and   book   records 

duplicated 
Book  records  little  used  and  not  kept  up  to  date 
Efficient  administration  calls  for  statistics  far  more  reaching 

in  their  scope  than  those  now  collected  and  collated 
Handling  unimportant  inquiries  involves  reference  from  one 

office  to  another 

Local  School   Boards  Are  Ignored 

There  is  little  opportunity  for  local  boards  or  parents' 
associations  to  participate  in  framing  policies  or  in  con- 
trol of  curriculm 


RECOMMENDATIONS  CLEARLY  REQUIRING  ADDI- 
TIONAL MONEY 

As  to  Business  Administration 

Establish  the  oiiice  of  business  manager  to  control  the  work 
now  done  by  the  auditor,   superintendents  of  buildings 
and  supplies  and  the  supervisor  of  janitors 
As  to  City  Superintendent's  Office 

Extend  statistical  work  to  show  currently  conditions  and 
results  in  activities  throughout  the  system; 

Employ  an  experienced  statistician  to  collate  and  interpret 
educational  statistics;  install  modern  statistical  machin- 
ery and  methods  as  are  employed  in  the  bureau  of  audit; 
employ  two  additional  clerks 

Furnish  additional  technical  assistance  to  enable  the  super- 
intendent to  effect  thorough  and  scientific  study  before 
submitting  building  recommendations 

Transfer  work  of  furnishing  information  on  vacancies,  li- 
censes, qualifications,  etc,  to  the  central  information  di- 
vision urged  in  connection  with  the  secretary's  office 

As  to  Audit  Bureau 

Add  a  small  inspection  force  including  one  inspector  trained 
to  investigate  construction  and  repair  claims,  and  one  or 
two  other  competent  men  to  supplement  the  inspection 
effected  outside  the  auditor's  jurisdiction  ;  as  field  audi- 
tors these  men  could  check  up  teachers'  attendance 

If  present  organization   at   education   headquarters  is   not 
adequate  to  secure  data  for  comptroller,  provide  for  ade- 
quate organization  in  the  budget 
As  to  Supplies  Bureau 

Secure  a  central  supply  depository  with  adequate  accommo- 
dations; from  evidence  submitted  in  superintendent's 
memorandum  and  from  conditions  observed  the  need  for 
a  depository  is  imperative;  this  involves  capital  invest- 
ment intended  to  eft'ect  economy  in  current  expenses 

Provide  executi\'e  assistance  to  superintendent  of  supplies 
As  to  Care  of  Buildings 

Increase  executive  force  and  double  inspectorial  force  of 
office  of  supervisor  of  janitors;  two  additional  clerks  re- 
quired for  office  routine  under  proposed  innovations 

As  to  Bureau  of  Investigation  and  Appraisal 

Establish  a  central  reference  and  information  bureau  as  a 
unit  in  the  school  board  secretary's  office 

Should  pass  upon  the  results  of  administration  and  super- 
vision 

Should  conduct  experimental  and  informative  investigations 
for  the  intelligent  development  of  the  school  system 

Borrow  and  apply  to  New  York  such  experience  of  other 
cities  as  would  be  advantageous 

Report  findings  first  to  the  city  superintendent  for  review 
and  thereafter  to  the  school  board 

80 


RECOMMENDATIONS    NEITHER    DIRECTLY     ADD- 
ING NOR  SAVING  MONEY,  BUT  INTENDED 
TO  INCREASE  EFFICIENCY 

As  to  Estimates 

Place  the   making  of  recommendations   for  new   buildings 

and  sites  on  a  scientific  basis,  utilizing  the  work  of  the 

permanent  census  bureau  to  the  utmost 
As  to  Auditing  Bureau 

Set  up  controlling  accounts  over  stock  accounts  of  supplies 

bureau 
Devise  a  scientific  method  of  ascertaining  salary  accruals 
Extend  general   fund  accounting  information  to  correlate 

actual  with  estimated  expenditures  for  a  given  period 
Establish  controlling  accounts  and  furnish   schedules  and 

other  data  in  agreement  with  comptroller's  requests 

As  to  Supplies  Bureau 

Revise  the  present  inadequate  accounting  methods  along 
the  line  of  a  complete  double  entry  accounting  system  to 
be  controlled  by  the  auditor  and  providing  for  a  daily 
control  of  stock,  location  of  responsibility,  and  the  com- 
pilation of  definite  data  in  respect  to  supply  purchase 
and  consumption  and  the  appraisal  of  the  system  of  pur- 
chase inspection 

Formulate  and  adopt  a  uniform  method  of  presenting  esti- 
mates meeting  the  requirement  of  the  board  of  estimate 

Inaugurate   an    independent   inspection   of   supplies   issued 

Conduct  efficiency  studies  on  purchase  of  supplies 
As  to  Building  Bureau 

Relieve  bureau  of  its  engineering  functions  and  establish  a 
bureau  of  engineering 

Institute  a  percentage  method  of  estimating  cost  of  drafts- 
men and  inspectors 

Publish  percentage  records  of  operations  and  bureau  cost  as 
a  means  for  review  as  to  work  and  efficiency 

Provide  a  lump  sum  contingent  fund  for  temporary  drafts- 
men and  inspectors  to  avoid  outside  formal  procedure  to 
secure  emergency  help 

Establish  a  system  of  time  and  cost  records  to  determine 
adequacy  of  inspection  work 

As  to  Secretary's  Office 

Print  minutes  in  time  for  adoption  of  next  meeting 

Use  titles  in  minutes  to  facilitate  reference 

Publish  minutes  semi-anually,  promptly  at  termination  of 
such  period 

Transfer  secretarial  work  of  committees  from  the  secre- 
tary's office  to  the  bureaus  and  offices  supervised  by 
committees 

Transfer  the  several  committee  clerks,  now  in  the  secre- 
tary's office  to  the  various  administrative  units  to  which 
their  work  relates 

81 


g2  Recommendations — Continued 

As  to  Budget  Estimates 

It  may  be  expedient  to  give  the  board  of  education  power 
to  purchase  sites  without  the  comptroller's  consent,  de- 
spite the  board's  record 
Accounts  of  general  fund  expenditures  should  be  extended 
to  show 

a — All  expenditures  classified  under  budgetory  esti- 
mate item  numbers 
b — All  expenditures  in  terms  of  "teaching  service  ren- 
dered" in  addition  to  cost  thereof,  such  teaching 
service  representing  number  of  teachers  pro  rata,  to 
actual  days'  service  rendered 
It  would  not  be  safe  to  decentralize  the  financial  control 

of  the  schools 
It  is  necessary  that  demands  for  educational  expansion  be 

weighed  by  some  independent  body 
Growing  demand   for  wider  use  of   schools   for  civic   and 
recreational  purposes  makes  advisable  the  concentration 
of  financial   control   and   responsibility   in   the   board   of 
estimate 
Board  of  estimate  should  segregate  school  budget  only  to 
determine  large  questions  of  policy 
As  to  School  Board  Accounts 

Board  of  education  accounts  should  be  made  to  conform 

to  those  of  other  city  departments 
Board  of  education  claims  not  in  form  for  finance  depart- 
ment certification   should  not  be  passed 
As  to  Executive  Committee 

Under  present  organization  the  executive  committee  should 
resume  the  functions  contemplated  by  the  charter 

RECOMMENDATIONS  INTENDED  TO  SAVE  MONEY 

Exempt   contractors    from    building   delays   only    for   legal 

cause  ^ 

Department   should  exercise   its  right   in   executing  leases 

so  as  to  avoid  delays 
Adopt  open   contract  basis  for  purchase  of   furniture   and 

equipment 
Elaborate  field  survey  notes  for  repair  estimates  and  make 

them  a  matter  of  permanent  record 
Maintain   under  the   supervision  of  janitors  fuel   heat  and 

service  records 
As  to  Board  of  Education 

Create    an    internal    committee   in    board    of   education   on 

economy  and  efficiency  to  review  methods,  materials  and 

usage  thereof 
Avoid      formal      correspondence      with      interdepartmental 

bureaus  and  offices  where  reference  would  suffice 


RECOMMENDATIONS   REQUIRING   STATE  LEGIS- 
LATION 

As  to  Duties  of  Board  of  Education 

Amend  charter  so  as  to  relieve  Ijoth  board  and  executive 
committee  from  administrative  work 

As  to  Size  of  Board 

Amend  charter  by  providing  that  the  board  of  education 
shall  consist  of  8  members,  three  appointed  by  the  mayor 
for  the  city  at  large  with  three  votes  each ;  five  appointed 
by  respective  borough  presidents,  the  Manhattan  and 
Brooklyn  members  to  have  two  votes,  the  others  one  vote 

One-fourth  of  the  membership  of  board  to  retire  each  year 

As  to  Board  of  Superintendents 

Abolish  the  board  of  superintendents  by  charter  amend- 
ment and  make  its  members  assistants  to  the  city  super- 
intendent 

As  to  Supply  Bureau 

Amend  charter  to  allow  purchasing  of  supplies  for  entire 
city  instead  of  by  boroughs 

As  to  Administrative  Agents 

Existing  bylaws  regarding  administrative  agents  should  be 
repealed,  and  plenary  power  to  administer  schools  lodged 
in  the  school  board  as  now  accorded  the  board  of  estimate 
to  administer  city  aiTairs 

A  short,  simple  school  charter  should  endow  the  board  of 
education  with  practically  all  authority  over  administra- 
tion and  policy,  subject  to  financial  control  of  the  board 
of  estimate 

As  to  Local  School  Boards 

Board  of  education  should  develop  local  school  boards  by 
devolution  of  some  of  its  authority  to  local  administra- 
tive agencies 

The  form  of  local  school  boards  should  not  be  provided  by 
state  laws,  but  left  to  the  board  of  education 

As  to  Supervisors  and  Teachers 

Powers  of  teachers,  principals,  district  superintendents, 
should  be  determined  by  the  bylaws  of  the  board  of 
education  [not  by  state  laws]  to  awaken  talent  now 
dormant 

As  to  Budget  Segregation 

If  board  of  education  furnishes  comptroller  with  data  as  de- 
sired, financial  authorities  should  not  continue  detailed 
budget  segregation 


INDEX 


i'A<.i-; 

Absence  of  board  members 70 

Accounts 71,  76,  77,  78.  81,  82 

Accruals See  salary,  72.  78,  81 

Administrative  procedure.  ...  72,  79 
Associate  superintendents, 

See  board  of  sup'ts 

Audit  of  supplies 78 

Auditor 70,  77,  78 

Board  of  education, 

accounts 71,  76,  82 

attendance    70 

by-laws   72 

calendar    73 

meetings   74 

members  73 

organization    72 

printed  minutes 70,  74 

printed  reports 73 

reading  of  reports 73 

size 72,   83 

state  policy 71 

Board  of  estimate 70,  71,  72, 

81,  82,  83 
Board  of  superintendents. ...  79,  83 

Budget    estimates 82 

Building  recommendations. 76,  80,  81 
Bureau  of  audit ....  70,  77,  78,  80,  81 

Bureau  of  buildings 76,  81 

Bureau  of  engineering 81 

Bureau  of  investigation  and 

appraisal   80 

Bureau  of  school  supplies. .  .76,  78, 
80,  81,  83 

Business    administration 83 

Business   manager 80 

By-laws 72,  83 

Census  board 75 

Charter 71,  72,  83 

Clerical  work 77,  79,  80 

Committee  clerks 78,  81 

Committee  interference 77 

Committee  on  buildings, 

75,  76,  77,  79 

Committee  on  by-laws 78 

Committee  on  care  of  buildings. 77 
Committee  on  economy  and 

efficiency    82 

Committee  on  sites 75 

Committee  on  supplies 77 

Committee   system 74 

Comptroller 71,  72,  76,  78, 

80,  81,  82,  83 

Contracts 76,  82 

Corporate  stock 75,  79 

Cost   records 81 

Curriculum    79 

Depository — supply 77,   80 

District    superintendents 83 

Dormant  talent 83 

Double  entry  accounts 81 

Draftsmen    81 


Emergency   help 81 

Engineering    bureau 81 

Estimates 72,  75,  76,  77,  78,  81 

Executive  committee 74 

Experience  of  other  cities 80 

Finance    committee 75 

Fuel 78,    82 

Furniture    76 

Index  of  board  minutes 78 

Information 71,  79,  80,  81 

Inspection 77,  80,  81 

Investigation 73,    78 

Investigation  and  appraisal 

bureau     

Leases 76,  82 

Legal    decisions 71 

Library    78 

Local  school  boards 79,  83 

Meetings — school  board 73,  74 

Membership  of  school  board.... 83 
Minutes — school  board...  70,  78,  81 

New    teachers 72 

Parents'    associations 79 

Policy  of  school  board... 72,  79,  82 

Principals    83 

Priority  of  buildings  requested.  .76 

Purchase  of  supplies 81,  83 

Purchasing    furniture 76 

Recommendations.  . .  .80,  81,  82,  83 

Records    79 

Repairs    76,  80 

Resolutions,  action  on 74 

Responsibility 72,  73,  77,  81,  82 

Revenue   bonds 

Routine  work 72,  73 

Salary  accruals 72,  78,  81 

School  board  accounts 

School  policies 72,  79,  82 

Secretary — school    board 78 

Segregation — budget 70,  82,  83 

Single    entry   accounts 

Sites 75,  79,  81,  82 

Special   revenue  bonds 76 

Statistics 78,  79,  80 

Stock — supplies 77,    81 

Superintendent  of  buildings 76 

Superintendent  of  schools. .  .79,  80 
Superintendent  of  supplies, 

70,  77,  80 
Supplies.  .  .70,  76,  77,  78,  80,  81,  83 
Supervisor   of  janitors 80 

Teachers 72,  80,  83 

Time  records 81 

Transfer  of  finds 75 

Trial   balances 79 


INDEX    OF    TOPICS    AND    INVESTIGATORS 


Absence 3,  19,  26,  30,  31 

Administration,  elementary, 

17,  23,  33,  46,  49,  51,  62,  59; 

high  school,  10,  36,  47,  56 

Age-grade  reports See  overage 

Annexes See  organization 

Arithmetic 22,  33.  34,  52,  56.  62 

Armstrong.  12,43-45,  49,  50,  59,  60,  62 
Assoc.  supt's..See  superintendents 

Attendance 3,  11,  30,  53,  55,  61 

Averill 18,  48,  50,  58,  65 

Bachman. .  .8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  24-30,  46, 
49,  53,  54,  60,  61,  65 

Ballou 10,  35-38,  47,  49,  56,  57,  62 

Board  of  education 1,  3,  66,  67 

Board  of  estimate 4,  64 

Board  of  supt's .  See  superintendents 
Budget.  ..7,  10,  29,  31,  38,  54,  57,  64 

Buildings 12,  43,  44,  45,  49,  50, 

59,  60,  62 
Bureau  of  Municipal  Research. 64, 67 
Burks 11,  30-31,  55,  61 

City  sup't See  superintendents 

Classroom  instruction. See  teachers 

Clerical  assistance. .  .17,  18,  23,  36, 

37,  46,  47,  50,  58 

Commercial  education. .  .10,  34,  40, 

47,  50,  82 

Composition See  gram.mar 

Compulsory See  attendance 

Continuation  school 48 

Cooking See  special  branches 

Corporal  punishment.  See  discipline 
Course  of  study,  elementary, 

9,  21,  24,  29,  49,   51,  54,  61; 

high  school,  10,  38,  47,  57,  62 

Courtis 33-35,  56,  62 

Curriculum See  course  of  study 

Davis ; 10,  38-39,  47,  57,  62 

Discipline 20,  46,  51 

District  sup't... See  superintendent 

Drawing See  special  branches 

Drinking  cups See  buildings 

Elementary See  teachers,  etc 

Elimination See  promotion 

Elliott. 8,  9, 13-17,46,  49,  50,  51,  60,  61 

Ettinger  plan 27,  54 

Estimating  teachers. . .  .See  budget 

Ettinger  plan 27,  54 

Evening  Sun 65 

Examiners.  .8,13, 17,  24,  50,  51,  52,  60 
Feeble-minded.  .10,  32,  46,  49,  56,  60 

Fire  precautions See  buildings 

Forced  promotions,  See  promotion 

Geography  22 

Globe,  New  York 64,  65 

Goddard 10,  32,  46,  49,  56,  60 

Grammar 9,  21 

Gymnasiums   58 

Hanus 7,  62,  65 

Heating See  buildings 

High  schools See  teachers,  etc 

Hygiene    23 


Instruction See  teachers 

Intermediate  schools..  12,  49,  54,  61 
Investigation 16,  46,  61 

Janitors See  buildings 

Kindergarten 9,  20,  21 

Large  classes See  organization 

Licenses See  examiners 

Literature See  reading 

Local  school  boards 19 

McMurry .  8,  9,  19-24,  46,  49,  51,  52,  61 
Method  of  inquiry...  7 

Music V.V22,'62 

Nature  study 9,  22,  52 

In  ight  schools n    41    42 

Non-promotion See  promotion 

Organization,  elementary..  .  .26   43 

high  school,  10,  35,  37,  47,  49,  56 

Overage 9,  24,  26,  53,  61 

Parental  school H,  20,  48   51 

Part  time 11,  25,  27,  35*,  45 

Permanent  census  board 41,  53 

Physical  training 22 

Principals.. 8,  14,  17,  20,  23,  33,  "37, 

51,  52,  65 

Promotion..  .8,  11,  24-29,  46,  49,  53, 

60,  61 ;  of  teachers,  see  examiners 

Pubhc  Education  Ass'n 67 

Rating  of  teachers.  .See  examiners 

Reading 9,21,  52 

Recommendations 18,  19,  53 

Records 10,  18,  30,  33,  53 

Repairs See  buildings 

Salaries See  principal,  teacher 

Sanitation See  buildings 

Schneider.il,  41-42,  48,  50,  58,  60,  62 
School  inquiry  committee. 

See  board  of  estimate 

Sections See  organization 

Shop  work See  special  branches 

Sites See  buildings 

Special  branches. 9,  17,  22,  46,  49,  51 

Spelling 9,  21,  52 

Superintendent.,  .city,  8,  18,  28,  66; 
associate,  16,  18,  37,  46,  48, 
50,  58,  60,  61,  68;  district, 
16,  51,  €6 

Superior  merit 14 

Supervision See  administration 

Syllabus See  course  of  study 

Teachers,  elementary.9, 13, 14, 19-'20 
51,  65;  high  school,  35,  36,  62 

Thompson 10,  40,  47,  58,  62 

Trade  training.ll,  41,  48,  50,  58,  60,62 

Truancy See  attendance 

Ungraded  classes, 

See  feeble-minded,  promo- 
tion, overage 

Ventilation See  buildings 

Vocational  guidance 40 

Winslow-Baskerville 12,  45,  60 


BUREAU  OF  MUNICIPAL  RESEARCH 

January  1st,  1906     Organized  as  "Bureau  of  City  Betterment" 

May  3rd,  1907  Incorporated  as  "Bureau  of  Municipal  Research" 

PURPOSES 

To  promote  efficient  and  economical  municipal  government;  to  promote  the 
adoption  of  scientific  methods  of  accounting  and  of  reporting  the  details 
of  municipal  business,  with  a  view  to  facilitating  the  work  of  public  officials; 
to  secure  constructive  publicity  in  matters  pertaining  to  municipal  prob- 
lems; to  collect,  to  clarify,  to  analyze,  to  correlate,  to  interpret  and  to 
publish  facts  as  to  the  administration  of  municipal  government.  (Articles 
of  incorporation) 

Helpful   Publications  for   School   Workers 

(Postage  prepaid) 

ivies  and  Health,  W.   H.  Allen         -                 -         -  $1.48 

Woman's  Part  in  Government,  W.  H.  Allen           -  1.62 

New  City  Government,  Henry  BruEre           -         -  1.66 

Organized  Democracy,  F.  A.  Cleveland              -          -  2.66 

Helping  School  Children,  Elsa  Denison     -          -         -  1.40 

Conditions  and  Needs  of  Rural  Schools  in  Wisconsin  .14 

School  Reports  and  School  Efficiency,  Snedden  and  Allen    1.11 

Outside  Cooperation  with  the  Public  Schools  of  Greater 

New  York -  .28 

A  Report  on  the  Division  of  Child  Hygiene  (l91l)       -         .28 

School  Progress  and  School  Facts  (1909)  -         -  .29 

School  Stories :     A  Topical  Guide  to  Education  Here  and 

Now  (Illustrated;  abridged)  ....  o7 

Help -Your- School  Surveys  (Waterbury  and  St.   Paul)  .15 

School  Inquiry   Follow-up   Cards 

Series  of  22  bulletins  on  the  New  York  school  inquiry,  Wiscon- 
sin state  survey,  etc.,  issued  1912-1913 

Classroom  instruction  card   for  teachers  and  supervisors,  10  for 

10c;   50  for  40c;   100  for  75c 

St.  Louis  and  Philadelphia  Follow-up   Cards 

Series  of  20  bulletins  giving  in  condensed  form  some  "high -spots" 
from  the  N.  E.  A.  meetings  of  the  division  of  superintendence 

BUREAU    OF    MUNICIPAL     RESEARCH 
261  Broadway,  New  York 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-23(ii-9,'47(A5G18)4-14 


LA 

339    Bureau ^  of_nmnic- 
N4B8d  ipal  research, 

Rew   York  - 
A  digest  of  the  New 
Yor k  s chool _inquiry . 


IjCSdlllHlH'.  HI 


AA    UUUb35'^44     7 


LA 

339 
N4B8d 


